Love at First Click: 'The Entire Internet Is a Dating Site'
*By Michael Teich*
Instagram and Spotify are replacing traditional dating apps for a new generation of singles who are looking to connect with people over shared experiences, not some formulaic estimation of compatibility, said MarketWatch's Emma Court.
Dating apps are as popular as ever, with nearly 26 million singles looking for their soul mates online last year, according to eMarketer. That number is expected to climb to more than 36 million by 2022. Those looking for love are finding it in all corners of the internet, not just apps dedicated to dating, such as Tinder and Bumble.
Internet users want to “meet people through other means, especially connecting through mutual friends and mutual interests,” said Court.
Social media apps and services where people can easily find others who share their interests in music or travel are providing people with more natural ways to connect than sites dedicated exclusively to matchmaking.
This behavior could help Facebook when it eventually launches its announced dating tool, Court said. The social media company announced earlier this month that it would recommend potential matches to its users based on information such as dating preferences and similar interests.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/love-at-first-click-the-rise-of-online-dating).
Much like all the upheaval shaking the world, the huge swings rocking Wall Street may feel far from normal. But, for investing at least, this is normal.
Joe Cecela, Dream Exchange CEO, explains how they are aiming to form the first minority-controlled company to operate an exchange in U.S. history. Watch!
A Michigan judge is putting sponges in the hands of shoplifters and ordering them to wash cars in a Walmart parking lot when spring weather arrives. Genesee County Judge Jeffrey Clothier hopes the unusual form of community service discourages people from stealing from Walmart. The judge also wants to reward shoppers with free car washes. Clothier says he began ordering “Walmart wash” sentences this week for shoplifting at the store in Grand Blanc Township. He believes 75 to 100 people eventually will be ordered to wash cars this spring. Clothier says he will be washing cars alongside them when the time comes.
The State Department had been in talks with Elon Musk’s Tesla company to buy armored electric vehicles, but the plans have been put on hold by the Trump administration after reports emerged about a potential $400 million purchase. A State Department spokesperson said the electric car company owned by Musk was the only one that expressed interest back in May 2024. The deal with Tesla was only in its planning phases but it was forecast to be the largest contract of the year. It shows how some of his wealth has come and was still expected to come from taxpayers.
