The survey delves into the current matchmaking landscape in the top 8 Indian cities
78% of female respondents shared encountering fake profiles on dating or matrimony apps
48% of respondents surveyed report experiencing mental health toll from such apps
Juleo, a Trusted Exclusive Singles Club, in partnership with YouGov, a global public opinion company, has surveyed over 1,000 singles from the top 8 Indian cities to capture the ongoing trends in Indian matchmaking. The report reveals stunning insights on issues like singles matching with profiles online but not meeting their prospects in person, concerns around safety and the genuineness of profiles, dating app fatigue and the mental health toll experienced while using dating and matrimony apps.
Offering access to a large pool of matches that human matchmakers can’t match, dating & matrimony apps became popular among youth. The report, however, shares that 2 out of 3 individuals who have used dating or matrimony apps and websites have never had an in-person meeting with their potential partner, indicating a prevalent lack of real-life connections. While there are several reasons accountable for this trend, the inability to find good profiles and ghosting top the list.
An alarming 78% of female respondents encountered fake profiles on these platforms. Women thus express a strong desire for improved privacy and better control over their profiles, and 74% of all men and women believe that their profiles should only be visible to those whom they choose. In fact, 82% of women feel that government ID verification is necessary for dating or matrimonial platforms, emphasizing the importance of identity verification for safety. This is something governments should perhaps insist on mandating in the light of scams on these apps.
Further, there are the associated emotional and psychological consequences youth have to deal with, as the entire process is arduous and emotionally exhausting. Almost half of all respondents report experiencing mental health toll from using dating or matrimony platforms. Facilitating connections online puts a burden on people to leave a great first impression, with 62% of respondents saying they feel pressured to maintain a witty conversation. The survey further reveals that 3 out of 4 women feel overwhelmed with their experiences on dating or matrimony apps and websites. Emotionally overburdened with the endless swiping loop on such platforms, 70% of all men and women share that this feature is futile and further adds to their woes. Overall, 2 out of 3 people would love to have a personalized AI Matchmaker helping them find profiles instead of endless searching.
Kamna Chhibber, leading Clinical Psychologist & TEDx speaker, said, “Relationships are challenging in modern times. The availability of too many choices and options can become a deterrent in building significant partnerships. Additionally, safety can get compromised as individuals seek to contact and meet more people. Building mechanisms for exploring relationships in a manner that is safe and which protects them – physically, emotionally and psychologically – is critical.”
Varun Sud, Founder-CEO Juleo, said, “The report shares the deep pain faced by the youth today in pursuit of love. Face-to-face conversations and in-person meetings form the core foundation of genuine relationships. Milne se hi baat banti hai. We have hence started a global movement through Juleo to change how singles find love in a safe, trustworthy and responsible manner. ”