Source: The Orbit Crew
The swipe mechanic that defined a generation of dating apps has become so culturally fraught—associated with superficiality, exhaustion, and algorithmic dysfunction—that platforms can no longer sell it as a feature. Instead, they're pivoting to aspirational narratives about "real connection" and "meaningful conversation," marketing away from the core interaction users actually perform. This gap between the product (endless sorting) and the marketing (soulmate discovery) signals user ambivalence about whether these platforms deliver what they promise, forcing companies into increasingly awkward positioning moves.