How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date • Hacker News Board

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#31

Post by 82123throwaway » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:02 PM UTC

Stop using apps, especially if you're worried about "shadowbanning".

The open secret is that people use then to meet sex workers, who in turn sometimes troll people who they perceive as "harassing" them by reporting unwanted spam.

Imagine being lonely, going into a space to find a date, and having someone make your mental health worse because you wouldn't pay them for sex, when the whole reason you joined such a site is because you want an emotional connection and everything else aside... just don't want that.

I haven't used hinge, but I ended up deleting Tinder and OkCupid -- having coauthored a whole ass paper on the latter.

People need to be better about not using a PhD as a way to lift yourself out of economic precarity if you are unlucky enough to have affluent and absusive parents.

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#32

Post by kimbernator » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:03 PM UTC

I wonder how dating apps will fit into society in 10+ years - they are dominant now as the way for young people to find romantic partners, but from the accounts I've heard (all second-hand, I haven't used one in ~5 years) they appear to be getting worse and worse for people who are anything below average attractiveness (or perhaps are just bad at making an appealing profile). It makes me wonder if there will be a correction in the opposite direction where those people go back to meeting in bars, work, school, gyms, etc while the "very attractive" crowd remains in the dating app pool instead.

I have no data to suggest this will happen aside from the fact that there's a large segment of the population that is having more and more trouble finding partners this way due to algorithmic changes forcing them out of eligibility to talk to people they find attractive. I've had at least one friend get permanently banned for violating a rule she didn't violate on Hinge, and their policy was essentially "tough luck, nobody gets unbanned for any reason".

If such a shift did occur, it would be an interesting reversal from the early days of online dating (eharmony, match.com) where the perception was that it was a fallback for people who were unable to meet someone in person.

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#33

Post by landr0id » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:03 PM UTC

mentalpiracy wrote: post #21

landr0id wrote: post #17

>Anthony couldn’t think of anything that might have gotten his account flagged. Regardless, Hinge didn’t offer an explanation for his experience. It's been a while since I've been on Hinge, but Hinge is not like Tinder in terms of edgy/risque conversation, and I played every conversation with a match safe. I woke up one morning and was banned. They say you can appeal, but this seems like mostly something to make you…

One important detail to add: hinge limits users to one new match per day. This fact also goes into the calculation when grading user interactions.

I paid for whatever the premium version that lifts such restrictions is called. I'm fairly confident that I messaged everyone that matched and if the conversation died I would unmatch to clean things up.

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#34

Post by wnevets » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:03 PM UTC

In general people throw the term shadow banned around too much. Whenever someone's content does poorly on youtube or tiktok they start claiming they've been shadow banned instead of considering their new content isn't worth watching.

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#35

Post by veave » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:04 PM UTC

lapcat wrote: post #26

> With the exception of Bumble and Grindr, almost every popular American dating app is owned by a single company called Match Group, including Hinge, Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and many others. This is truly a nightmare. How did we allow such a crucial human function, finding a mate, to become monopolized? Both Democrats and Republicans need to date (though maybe not each other), so the issue should…

You can find a mate without using a smartphone, you know...

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#36

Post by everdrive » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:04 PM UTC

lapcat wrote: post #26

> With the exception of Bumble and Grindr, almost every popular American dating app is owned by a single company called Match Group, including Hinge, Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and many others. This is truly a nightmare. How did we allow such a crucial human function, finding a mate, to become monopolized? Both Democrats and Republicans need to date (though maybe not each other), so the issue should…

I agree that it’s terrible, but you can still meet people in real life. This isn’t really aimed as a refutation your comment, but as pushback to people who are frustrated by these apps. It’s good to get away from them whenever possible.

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#37

Post by lapcat » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:05 PM UTC

veave wrote: post #35

lapcat wrote: post #26

> With the exception of Bumble and Grindr, almost every popular American dating app is owned by a single company called Match Group, including Hinge, Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and many others. This is truly a nightmare. How did we allow such a crucial human function, finding a mate, to become monopolized? Both Democrats and Republicans need to date (though maybe not each other), so the issue should…

You can find a mate without using a smartphone, you know...

I know. I use a laptop.

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#38

Post by water9 » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:05 PM UTC

toasted-subs wrote: post #30

lapcat wrote: post #26

> With the exception of Bumble and Grindr, almost every popular American dating app is owned by a single company called Match Group, including Hinge, Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and many others. This is truly a nightmare. How did we allow such a crucial human function, finding a mate, to become monopolized? Both Democrats and Republicans need to date (though maybe not each other), so the issue should…

One company who owes all of dating apps which decides almost a third of all relationships means they are responsible for almost every negative thing that happens. The job is also a bit too germanic for me, they are effective causing a holocaust.

3 Keys to dating: Workout

don’t talk about yourself

don’t be reactive.

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#39

Post by nextweek2 » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:05 PM UTC

lapcat wrote: post #26

> With the exception of Bumble and Grindr, almost every popular American dating app is owned by a single company called Match Group, including Hinge, Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, and many others. This is truly a nightmare. How did we allow such a crucial human function, finding a mate, to become monopolized? Both Democrats and Republicans need to date (though maybe not each other), so the issue should…

> antitrust law has more or less ceased to exist.

I’ve always wondered if this is because of globalisation. If you want your country’s companies to dominate the world market, then a strong home base would help.

Re: How Hinge's algorithm decides who you date

#40

Post by stuff4ben » Mon, Aug 21, 2023, 6:06 PM UTC

And like most large faceless companies, if you're somehow banned, you have no recourse. I have no idea what I did, when I did it, or who I supposedly did something to, but I can't use Hinge anymore on my phone number. Also banned from Match but not Bumble or Tinder. The apps are indeed a shit-show and I no longer use them. Facebook singles groups and going out in real life are how I'm meeting people now. Much more satisfying and engaging than endless swiping and rejection. FWIW, I'm a genx male, divorced with kids 50/50, and a stable job. A little dad-bod, but not grossly overweight. I'm not a 10 but I'd rate myself a probably a 6-7.