Finding Love in the Black Box: Algorithm Awareness on Dating Apps

Most dating apps use algorithms to match users to one another, but are not fully transparent about how their recommender systems work. In turn, users have varying degrees of awareness of matching algorithms. Unfortunately, little is known about how awareness of algorithmic functioning relates to online dating. This research examined the relationship between algorithm awareness, trust in algorithms, and satisfaction with the quality of matches. A survey was conducted among 500 users of the Dutch dating app Breeze, presented to respondents within the app itself. Relationships were estimated with structural equation modeling. Higher algorithm awareness was associated with more trust in algorithms, which positively related to satisfaction with the quality of matches. This mediated association between awareness and satisfaction with matches suggested that awareness of matching algorithms is associated with better outcomes of dating app use. This research contributes to the limited literature on human–algorithm interaction on dating apps. Overall, the results suggest that algorithm awareness may be a relevant part of the online dating experience.