While dating apps have brought joy and escape to many during the pandemic, a study has found that the experience of using them can vary greatly between men and women. As app downloads surge, there’s space for platforms to play a more supportive role for women and vulnerable users.

Lockdown forced many couples in the UK to spend almost all of their time together, causing some to get closer while others barely constrained their tensions. As WFH life looks set to continue in 2021, how can brands help them resolve problems and restore a sense of spontaneity and intimacy?

With intimacy redefined by the pandemic, people have reckoned with the importance of closeness and how it is crafted. In turn, many are exploring ways to connect that feel more intentional, be that via more ‘authentic’ online dating tools or analogue methods of communication, such as love letters. And despite all the headlines about a ‘hot vax summer’, people are looking for more emotional candour and control, pursuing relationships that feel meaningful.

Looking to make its platform a safer and more inclusive space, Bumble has launched an educational campaign designed to tackle the fetishisation of people. With racial fetishisation prevalent on dating apps, Bumble is looking to stamp it out with its campaign.