For millennials and gen Z, finding love or a sexual companion has become comparatively simple and common thanks to dating apps. Dating apps were common even before t

For millennials and gen Z, finding love or a sexual companion has become comparatively simple and common thanks to dating apps. Dating apps were common even before the epidemic. But due to the lockdowns and forced seclusion, their use has increased many folds. The numbers are astounding. 

The most popular dating app in the world, Tinder, reached three billion swipes in a single day in March 2020.

 Since then, the service has broken this record more than 100 times. 430 million people have 

 globally, and 65 billion matches have been made.

Online dating is very popular, but its popularity has some drawbacks. Making relationship and commitment decisions can be problematic since having a lot of options might give the impression that the 

grass is always greener on the other side. 

It's a bit of choice overload, as stated in the economic theory of consumer choice for goods like chocolate and pens. The 

there can be more regret when they know there are other options.

 The risks and possibility for regret are, of course, much greater in relationships. 

In addition, even though these applications have greatly assisted many singles to connect for years, some daters are concerned about the 

Women, in particular, suffer disproportionately high levels of harassment and abuse on the platforms

. In a poll released by the Australian Institute of Criminology, it was discovered that 

75% of dating app users said they had experienced some type of online sexual assault in the previous five years

. One-third of those abused in person by someone they met through an app reported sexual assault or other forms of compulsion, like spiking drinks, with 27% of those events.

Source of Actionable Data for Cyber Criminals

According to Check Point, dating apps have developed into a ready source of data that cybercriminals may utilize, whether they obtain it by exploiting a vulnerability or by just deceiving users.

Dating applications request a lot of personal information

 from users in order to create a profile. Sensitive information includes things like ethnic heritage, political and religious beliefs, use of drugs and alcohol, and sexual orientation and gender identity. Popular dating apps' lack of end-to-end encryption has a drawback in that it forces users to share personal information in order for the app to perform its matchmaking function. This data is constantly in danger of being misused. 

Many businesses have come under fire for allegedly selling customers' personal information without their knowledge or permission.

In India, dating applications first gained popularity through Tinder in 2012. Several foreign and domestic apps appeared on mobile devices within a short period of time, quietly 

. As a result of the pandemic's enforced social segregation restrictions, these apps first experienced 

 in major metropolises and are currently expanding quickly in smaller villages and cities.

In India, the parent has traditionally had the authority to select a spouse. When the internet came along, they transferred this authority online, creating profiles for their children on matrimonial websites, and screening the proposals that were sent. A small percentage of progressive parents might have asked their kids for their opinion. However, for the vast majority of people, the decision-making authority always rested with the parent, whose decision was frequently governed by factors such as caste, rank, and income rather than always by their son's or daughter's happiness.

The dating app changed that system of power. It transferred authority from the parents to their sons and daughters. 

With a few quick swipes to the right and left, their adult children may now decide who they are interested in and are not, as well as whether they desire serious or casual relationships. Such independence has rarely, if ever, existed, especially for women. 

Shraddha Walkar Case and Other Real-Life Horror Stories

It is simple to understand why dating apps have grown to be so well-liked in less than a decade. Nevertheless, the privacy hazards associated with utilising these apps have been brought to light by recent high-profile occurrences. Online dating applications have once again come under social scrutiny following the murder of 

 in Delhi, who met her attacker Aftab Poonawalla through the app Bumble. 

This couple met online, and fell madly in love. Both the defendant and the victim were employed in Mumbai. They quickly moved in together. On May 18, the accused strangled the 26-year-old partner before sawing her body into 35 pieces. According to reports, he even purchased a new refrigerator to house the parts, which he then dispersed in polybags over the course of several days at various locales.

 (27), a poor middleman in the construction sector from Jaipur, contacted Priya Seth on Tinder and pretended to be the chairman of a business with a revenue of Rs 25 crore. The man was set to meet a woman and had no idea that she had a criminal history. On May 2, 2018, Priya invited Sharma to her apartment, where she and two other friends had drugged him with cocaine. Sharma admitted that he was a middleman with a two-year-old child and that he wasn't rich when he was later requested for money. In frustration, the group called Sharma's father for a ransom. When they obtained the money, they dismembered Sharma and stuffed them in a suitcase bought using Sharma's card. The pieces were then dumped on NH48 Delhi-Jaipur Expressway.

, the spouse of a retired Air Force wing commander, fell for Dinesh Dixit on a dating website. When they eventually met, Dixit made sure she got drunk before robbing her of jewellery worth Rs 50 lakh. They had been having an affair over Whatsapp calls for six months. The victim was found dead in her Dwarka sector 7 house. It was later determined that Dixit had a debt to bookmakers from wagering on an IPL match.

 Dating apps enable one to connect with potential friends and life partners. These apps offer the chance to easily meet others with similar interests and viewpoints in the time-constrained world. In addition to being friendly and available, users of dating apps are also very clear about what they want. If you're shy, you might feel more at ease starting a discussion with a stranger online than you would in person. 

However, regarding potential threats, the bottom line is that 

legally dating apps are not liable for what occurs after you match with someone on their platform.

 So you must exercise caution and take appropriate safety measures before you trust someone.

Shraddha Walkar Case & The Dark Side of Online Dating

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