How the world of dating apps has changed during the pandemic, according to Tinder

As IRL dating was off the cards for much for the last 12 months, Olivia Petter looks at data from Tinder to understand how the world of dating changed

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Last year was not exactly the best time to be single. With the countless restrictions imposed by the pandemic, socialising with friends and family was confusing enough. Let alone dating.

Initially, when the UK went into lockdown, real-life dating was completely off the table. Cue a surge in virtual cocktail tastings and Zoom dinner dates.

However, when things started opening up again as we moved closer to summer, social distancing dates became the norm, which is easier said than done given that much of dating can be predicated on physical closeness and intimacy.