Love at first swipe Tle

citoyenneté et mondes virtuels

Love at first swipe

How have apps changed social bonds?

• Real solitude, virtual solutions
• Apps and online tools
• AI, the new Cupid
• Love 2.0
• Dating in the age of apps
• Tinder: a dangerous medium
• The USA's new romantic landscape
• Digital apps in a time of Courtly Love
• Pride and Prejudice revisited

Statistics in the class

Statistics gathered around making friends or meeting someone on a dating app.

Apps and online tools

How do apps help us to tackle the problem of loneliness? VIDEO

The video presents the problem of loneliness that more and more people feel. As a matter of fact, 2 out of 10 people feel that their socially lonely because they do not have enough interaction. In parallel, 5 out of 10 people feel that they are emotionally lonely; they feel that people do not get them or do not know them. Loneliness even affects physical health. Indeed, loneliness has the same effect on your health than smoking 15 cigarettes per day, it is twice harmful as being obese and is the equivalent of being a life long alcoholic. To counter this issue, the UK appointed a Minister of Health due increasing loneliness. 9 millions Brits have said to feel lonely. Another way to counter loneliness may be with the use of technology. in fact, numerous apps were created in order to fight against loneliness: Bumble, Cuddlist, We3, etc. Nowadays, with teleworking, Covid-19 it is becoming hard to get yourself into interactional situations. People wish to fill in the void not to get too lonely.

A.I.

the new Cupid

Article from The Financial Times, 12 September 2019

The article from The Financial Times presents a new means of finding your soulmate. Indeed, in a time where technology is everywhere, why not use Artificial Intelligence to meet your potential perfect match? We are introduced to a couple holding hands, feeling in love, when they are actually thousands of miles apart. They met with the use of AI which deemed they were highly compatible. The method to find your soulmate with AI includes a method comprising DNA analysis. Moreover, a lot of data is used to find your perfect match: social background, sexual preferences, cultural interests. The system of the app using AI combines genetic information and social media information. The use of this new technology raises serious issues. As a matter of fact, human interactions are totally put aside and let machines decide for us. Although the development of such technology proves the evolution of science and research, we may wonder if our social life is not worsened or deterioated.

LOVE 2.0

How have online apps changed relationships and the world?

Tinder

Ashley Fetters, The Altantic, 21 December 2018

• Justin Mateen, Sean Rad and Jonathan Badeen founders of Tinder
• App created in 2012
• in 2021 57 millions users of Tinder
• why was it created? Matten and Rad had a huge dissastisfaction with the lack of dating opportunities
• however some flaws: meeting random people you do not have much information on + rudeness on the app
• it questions social interations: with the use of these apps, do we still know how to behave in front of someone we like? do you even try to talk to someone we like in real life?
• "dating has become isolated from the rest of social life" = due to apps people's behaviors have changed

Tinder: a dangerous medium

Unmatched: how Tinder fails to act on sexual assault complaints and lets rapist hide

Lesson

Write a letter

Write a letter addressed to the founders of Tinder

Tell the founders your concerns about Tinder and sexual assaults. Mention the story of Emily, or write as Emily, and what they must do for her and other people getting assaulted.

The USA's new romantic landscape

Chris Taylor, Mashable.com, 13 Febrary 2019

Timeline: the evolution of love relationships over the years

2005

2014

1950s

Tinder: a billion swipes a day

Lorem Ipsum

meeting "friends of friends"

2020

2010

2000

Lorem Ipsum

20% of opposite-sex couples and 70% of same-sex couples met via the Internet

10% of opposite-sex couples and 20% of same-sex couples met via the Internet

Digital apps in a time of Courtly Love

Is traditional courtship an outdated concept?

Pride and Prejudice revisited: Alisha Rouse, The Daily Mail, 8 February 2018