About 10 years ago, in basic (free) version of online dating apps (my experience based on Hornet, Grindr, HeeSay, Romeo), you could view unlimited user profiles and there was no advertising. Now the free versions have limitation on numbers of profiles you can view and you will be interrupted by aggressive ads.
I wouldn't mind paying a reasonable amount for a quality service. However, these online dating apps, all content is user generated and unmoderated with fakers, scammers and nonsense profiles. I find the prices the apps ask for unreasonable with the exception of Hornet (for users based in Thailand one year 399 THB, with occasional special offers 199 THB).
For a price comparison of the various apps see here:
https://mylifeongrindr.blog/the-price-of-loneliness/
For a general rant about the commercialization see here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DPoq70PkTiL/
Title: Grindr has become a trash pile of fake accounts and spam advertisements. It doesn't need to be this way, corporations don't need to ruin everything -- and yes i know Grindr was horrible before it was acquired!
Quote: “...[Grindr] has become a hellscape of spam ads and fake accounts … that's why the app [Grindr] has become a hellscape that feeds you spam ads every three seconds and is full of Bot users that don't even exist...”
The decline is not just the app, but the users as well: fakers, scammers, nonsense profiles. Below a collection of screenshots to illustrate my points. A few memes from social media thrown in.
Advertising
Is mostly in local language and aimed at local customers. Nowadays they even insert adverts into list of messages. Sometimes you have to sit through two adverts of 5 s each and click three times to close them. Some ads open a new tab without my consent. Some ads (embedded between profiles) open when you scroll over them.
I get ads for services I use already. In case of ads for Facebook, I go as far as saying that these are pointless. There are two kinds of people in the world: those who are already on Facebook and those who don't want to be on Facebook.
Some ads border on scam:
Fake “close ad” button, in following picture one X is fake and leads to open the advertiser. After sitting through the add the real X appears.
Furthermore, "close ad" button can be in various locations.
The ads will play regardless of your battery status or data package.
Struggle for face pictures
Once you have sat through the ads, the struggle for face pictures begins! Here some examples of face pictures I have received:
Nonsense profiles
Various nonsense profiles or unrealistic expectations from internet.
My translation for the following:
I will be in a white cabriolet.
I will be wearing a tight white dress.
Censorship
Some words are getting censored, e.g. "massage" and names of social media or messenger services. With all the intrusive advertising, I want to take the chat elsewhere as soon as possible!
Screenshots deactivated
Up to about 5 years ago, I was able to take screenshots of everything, and did so for documentary purposes. But now, some apps disable screenshots in general, or users can disable screenshots. That can be for the profile, for private pictures, or for the chat.
Infantilization
When I was in Kindergarten, after a day of good behavior I would get stamp of a bee in my diary to show to my parents. Some adverts and offers by app make me think their target group are 5-year-olds.
When I click to see a private album on Grindr, I get “Albums may contain nudity or NSFW content” and have to confirm "View". This isn't a recipe exchange!
Or having to confirm that I want to see the private album on HeeSay:
Whereas HeeSay "Click again to exit" when I hit the "back" button, that's indeed useful as I sometimes hit it inadvertently.
Various
I have no info about filters; I don't use filters.
Despite all the shortcomings, online dating is still better/cheaper/more convenient than bars.
Grindr (but not the other apps) in Pattaya nowadays has a lot of ladyboys. Whereas Hornet in Bangkok has the largest number of straight boys looking for money.
Copyright 2025 ChristianPFC except quotes and memes
Grindr are trying to kill their franchise with excess advertising. In time, they will succeed.
ReplyDeleteIdeally there would be a recovery in market share for apps with more reasonable polices, such as Rome or Jack'D