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By Marni Rose McFall
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A new trend called philanthropy playing has emerged on dating apps in the lead-up to Valentine's Day.
In a study from DatingNews, 15 percent of men said they had joined or would join charitable causes for the sole purpose of trying to boost their profiles.
Why It Matters
Since the mid-2010s, dating apps have been the dominant method for people looking to find a partner.
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According to Statista, in 2023 over 17 percent of the U.S. population were using online dating services. The usage is most prevalent among younger generations, with millennials making up 52 percent of dating app users, while Gen Z and Gen X each make up 22 percent. The majority (67 percent) of users are men.
What To Know
When it comes to dating apps, the most valuable currency may now be doing good, rather than looking good.
DatingNews surveyed 3,004 single men and, in addition to those who said they had joined or would join charitable causes, 16 percent admitted they had exaggerated their volunteer work on their dating profile.
And it seems their tactic works. According to DatingNews, nearly half (45 percent) of survey participants said that they would be more likely to swipe right on someone who was clearly doing some kind of volunteer work in their profile photo.
The study also revealed which kinds of charitable activities were the most popular. Volunteering at an animal or rescue shelter topped the list. This is unsurprising, as 63 percent of single people told a 2023 poll that they were more likely to swipe right on someone who had a puppy in their profile and 47 percent said that they were more attracted to dog owners than those who did not have pets.
Volunteering at a food bank or soup kitchen came second, with building homes for organizations like Habitat for Humanity in third place.
Other popular activities included volunteering at wildlife and conservation sanctuaries, beach and park cleanups, tree planting, therapeutic horse riding and music therapy for children and seniors.
Almost half of men say that they would join up for a charitable event because their crush was going.
However, 68 percent of those polled saying it would be a red flag if they found out their date had lied about their volunteering experience.
What People Are Saying
DatingNews wrote in the study: "Does it really matter what is behind the motivation if the charities see the benefit at the end of the day? Or is using your charitable work as a way to bolster your dating profile considered uncouth?"
What Happens Next
Dating app fatigue is becoming commonplace as is political polarization, which can making dating difficult.
Yet apps appear to have a high success rate in helping people find romance, as Forbes recently reported that almost 70 percent of individuals in the U.S. who met someone this way said that it led to a romantic, exclusive relationship.
Whether philanthropy playing catches on more broadly or puts people off remains to be seen.
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