Online dating: the end of romance?
About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of online dating on modern romance and social interactions.
Recorded at the Battle of Ideas festival 2025 on Sunday 19 October at Church House, Westminster. ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION Tinder, Grindr, Bumble, Hinge, Feeld – whatever your dating preference, there’s an app for it. Gone are the days of hitting the town in the hopes of catching someone’s eye in a busy bar. People moan about their problems, and some want to leave digital dating behind, but for today’s generation, the first spark often happens over a keypad. Should we be worried about the prevalence of online dating? For some, the game-like approach to virtual romance, with love thwarted or given a chance with a swipe of the thumb, is degrading. Novara Media’s Aaron Bastani recently called for a ban on dating apps, as they ‘encourage the worst possible behaviour towards other people’. Others argue that the addictive nature of online dating, where multiple partners can be found at the touch of a button, has fed the addictive and attention-deficit qualities of an already fidgety generation. When love is always just a click away, why would anyone stick with just one partner? On the other hand, without online dating many argue that finding love would be near impossible. Pub closures…
Topics covered
- online dating
- romance
- digital culture
- social behavior
- technology impact
Keywords
- online dating
- romance
- dating apps
- social behavior
- digital culture
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Novara Media
Places: Church House, Westminster
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