Six Massachusetts college students are facing charges after police say they assaulted an active-duty soldier after luring him on the dating app Tinder as part of a social media trend. (Patrick Sison/AP)
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and while couples are set to shower each other with gifts and quality time, a study by the Pew Research Center found that three in 10 Americans are single and nearly half of them are turning to dating apps to find companionship.
Tinder appears to be the top choice in the world of online dating with 46 percent of American singles reporting that they have used the service. About 10 percent of adults have used other services like Bumble or Match.
Yet, with online dating app usage ticking up, are these matches successful? At least half of people reported mostly positive experiences while 48 percent said they experienced negative behavior online. The study found that men were more likely to report positive experiences compared to women. Users identifying as gay, lesbian, and bisexual were also more likely to report positive experiences.
For many, using the apps isn't about finding committed partners. Just 42 percent of Americans reported seeking long-term relationships, with 51 percent saying they were open to a committed relationship or casual dating. Among men, that number was slightly higher at 56 percent compared to 44 percent of women.
Officials warned residents and tourists packing Mediterranean destinations on Tuesday to stay indoors during the hottest hours as the second heat wave in as many weeks hits the region and Greece, Spain and Switzerland battled wildfires.
While the East Coast grappled with the aftermath of downpours that closed roads and rendered the water supply undrinkable in places, the West and other parts of the country contended with sizzling temperatures and unsafe air quality attributed to Canadian wildfires.
U.S. officials on Monday approved the first long-acting drug to protect babies and toddlers against a respiratory virus that sends tens of thousands of American children to the hospital each year.
