‘Pursue Dating App Claims in Arbitration, Not Class Action’ — US Judge

Key Highlights:

• A US Magistrate Judge rules that users suing Match Group over addictive dating apps must resolve their claims through individual arbitration.
• Plaintiffs claim that Match Group platforms, including Tinder, Hinge, and The League, are designed to be purposefully addictive.
• The ruling halts a class action lawsuit, forcing users to pursue their cases one by one, rather than collectively in federal court.

A US Magistrate Judge has ruled that users of Tinder and other Match Group-owned dating apps must take their claims of deceptive and addictive practices to individual arbitration, rather than pursuing a federal court class action.

US Judge Laurel Beeler in San Francisco on Tuesday ruled that the lawsuit against Match Group will be delayed and moved to arbitration, as specified in the company’s user agreements.

The ruling was a significant setback for the plaintiffs, who accused the company of designing Tinder, Hinge, and The League to be “purposefully addictive” in a way that prioritizes profits over the well-being of users.

‘Dating Apps Resort to Addictive Features’

The lawsuit, filed earlier this year, was brought by nine plaintiffs from California, New York, Florida, and other states, alleging that Match Group’s dating platforms employ addictive features that make it difficult for users to disengage, resulting in escalating in-app purchases for premium subscriptions.

The plaintiffs claimed the company violated consumer protection laws by failing to disclose the intentionally addictive design of the apps.

The legal team representing the plaintiffs expressed disappointment with the ruling.

Ryan Clarkson, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said that they were exploring all options to hold Match accountable for a business model that “puts profits over people with psychological manipulation at its core.”

Arbitration vs. Class Action

In the decision, Beeler sided with Match Group, citing provisions in the terms of service that require users to resolve disputes individually. Match Group’s legal team argued that users agreed multiple times to settle disputes exclusively through binding arbitration.

Arbitration clauses in user agreements are often favored by corporations, as they avoid the complexities and potential high costs of class action lawsuits. In this case, the plaintiffs’ desire to form a nationwide class action was blocked, requiring each individual user to have to pursue their case separately.

Match Group has consistently denied the plaintiffs’ claims and maintained that its applications, including Tinder, Hinge, and The League, are designed to help people connect, and not to exploit them.

The ruling came amid growing scrutiny of social media and dating app companies for their role in fostering addictive behavior, particularly among younger users.

Other tech giants, such as TikTok and Snapchat, are also facing lawsuits that allege their platforms are designed to keep users engaged for longer periods, contributing to addictive behaviors.

Have you used  dating apps before? Did you find them addictive or effective?