American Economic Journal:
Applied Economics
ISSN 1945-7782 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7790 (Online)
The Impact of Dating Apps on Young Adults: Evidence from Tinder
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
(pp. 61–106)
Abstract
Online dating apps have transformed the dating market, yet their broader effects remain unclear. We study Tinder's impact on college students using its initial marketing focus on Greek organizations for identification. We show that the full-scale launch of Tinder led to a sharp, persistent increase in sexual activity, but with little corresponding impact on the formation of long-term relationships or relationship quality. Dating outcome inequality, especially among men, rose, alongside rates of sexual assault and STDs. However, despite these changes, Tinder's introduction did not worsen students' mental health on average and may have even led to improvements for female students.Citation
Büyükeren, Berkeren, Alexey Makarin, and Heyu Xiong. 2026. "The Impact of Dating Apps on Young Adults: Evidence from Tinder." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 18 (2): 61–106. DOI: 10.1257/app.20240455Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- I12 Health Behavior
- I23 Higher Education; Research Institutions
- J13 Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- L86 Information and Internet Services; Computer Software