Looking for love on an app? Here's why you're doing it wrong

Traditional dating apps are being used so often people are accessing them in business meetings or in the loo '“ and new dating app Once wants things to change.
By reducing the number of matches to one a day, users of Once avoid wasting hours scrolling.By reducing the number of matches to one a day, users of Once avoid wasting hours scrolling.
By reducing the number of matches to one a day, users of Once avoid wasting hours scrolling.

People in Leeds, York, Hull and the wider north east are so addicted to dating apps they will use them just about anywhere.

That's according to latest market research undertaken by YouGov and new dating app company Once, which looked at the swiping habits of people in Leeds, York, Hull and the rest of the NE region.

Swiping through a dating app has ceased to be a search for lasting love and instead become a means of killing time, the study showed, with people choosing to use the apps when on the toilet, watching TV, eating, or even while at work.

The algorithm utilised by Once is predicated of users input, so your selection is more carefully curated to match your personality.The algorithm utilised by Once is predicated of users input, so your selection is more carefully curated to match your personality.
The algorithm utilised by Once is predicated of users input, so your selection is more carefully curated to match your personality.

Looking at the usage of dating apps across the UK as a whole, 22 per cent of men and 21 per cent of women claimed they found dating apps to be addictive. Men's usage is markedly larger than women, with many utilising apps in the midst of work meetings, at weddings, or in the gym.

In an attempt to address these mindless browsing habits, Once was created: a 'slow dating' app that shifts the focus from quantity to quality, only allowing browsers one match per day.

Jean Mayer, CEO of Once, explained, “This highly-invasive swiping culture makes us extremely picky and impossibly hard to impress. We’re spending too much time on dating apps. The act of swiping and scrolling is fast and this does not provide for considered decisions.

“This super-charged approach to modern dating is great for quick hook-ups – but is not geared towards finding love. Brits need to rethink their approach to dating – it shouldn’t become this time consuming.”

Once claims it also provides a safer option for women.Once claims it also provides a safer option for women.
Once claims it also provides a safer option for women.

By reducing the number of matches to one a day, users of Once avoid wasting hours scrolling. Instead, they can choose to engage with their match or simply wait for tomorrow to see a new one. The algorithm utilised by Once is predicated of users’ input, so your selection is more carefully curated to match your personality, rather than simply being an available single person in your area.

As well as saving time, it's believed the app will be better for users' self esteem – traditional apps can leave you rejected up to 50 times a day if the person you swiped 'yes' to didn't chose to match with you back.

Once claims it also provides a safer option for women. The app is able to spot fake accounts, and users are able to leave reviews after dates, meaning that any disrespectful or ‘bad guys’ will quickly be identified.

To escape the ‘swipe society’ and give slow dating a try, and swap swiping for one-match-per-day, download Once for free, available on iOS and Android devices at www.getonce.com.