In Dan Slater’s book, “A Million First Dates: Solving the Puzzle of Online Dating” he introduces the idea of the link between internet dating and heightened disposability. He states, “Internet dating has made people more disposable.”

Through extensive independent research, there are four main factors that contribute to what my paper highlights as facilitating factors of online dating decreasing the value of romantic connection and relationships leading to more casual disposability and commodification of its users by one another. These four factors fall into the following categories of topics previously discussed in this course: evolution of technology, interactivity, media effects, and self and society.

Throughout my argumentative analysis I present extensive links that connect the detrimental psychological effects of dating apps as communication technology to the societal factors that it inhibits with an emphasis on self and society. Topics addressed include the physiological effects of fast-paced technological evolution, hyperconnectivity as it relates to interactivity, media effects in regards to social media, and detriments to self-worth/self-image.

Following the in-depth analysis of the aforementioned topics and the relevance they have to their subtopics, a dissection of potential solutions is expounded on. Although the majority of this paper focuses on users approach to dating apps and online dating as a whole, a conscious effort is made to address how awareness and improvements on the app developers’ part would be undoubtedly beneficial to user-experience beyond the scope of aesthetics. To conclude, emphasis is placed on technological literacy and algorithmic transparency which would encourage users awareness of identifying dating apps as communication technology and in turn use them in a more responsible and conscientious manner.