Jordan Lamont

s4703973

Platform matters and algorithmic

solutions Report: Hinge
Hinge is a cross-sectoral platform that has successfully commodified dating for hundreds of thousands
of singles worldwide, using datafication and a Nobel prize winning algorithm (Hinge, 2023). To start
with, a cross-sectoral digital platform is best defined in the scholarly journal ‘Cross-Sectoral Digital
Platform as a Tool for Innovation Ecosystem Development’ as a ‘global information platform that
provides network interaction among subjects of various sectors in the economy within the ecosystem’
(Gamidullaeva, 2021). The key characteristics of a sectoral platform are the three components or sides
to the platform, that being, the platform itself, complementors and users. Hinge, however, is a little
different to this traditional definition as users are simultaneously also complementors of the platform.

1)

Hinge is an online dating app that connects singles and facilitates conversations between users for the
purpose of helping people find love. I have personally used this platform for that exact function of
exploring the dating world and meeting like-minded people.

2)

Before Hinge, or any other online dating platforms, people had to meet others organically in the real
world. This entailed approaching people on the street or forming relationships with the people you
knew around you. This was difficult for many people as finding and meeting people depended on their
lifestyle and choice of work. Online dating has connected singles all across the world and facilitated
an online environment where people can get to know one another before necessarily meeting in real
life. Similarly, online dating has allowed for more discernment among singles who seek to find the
perfect partner and not just whoever is assessable like the traditional method.

3)

Before online dating, finding the right person was difficult as you had less choice and fewer
opportunities to meet and connect with people that you wouldn’t run into in your day to day.

Online dating platforms as a whole have changed and shaped the modern dating scene. However,
Hinge is not like any regular dating app because of its Nobel prize winning algorithm and uniqueness
in that it is ‘designed to be deleted’ (Hinge, 2023). It uses machine learning technology to recommend
users a daily ‘most compatible’ match based off of shared preferences and activity on the app (MOA,
2018).

Hinge offers a substantial economic benefit to society as in 2022 alone it made $238 Million in
revenue (Curry, 2023). Furthermore, employing 314 people that help in servicing 23 million singles
worldwide (Hinge, 2023). Socially people benefit from using the Hinge platform as well. This is
 Jordan Lamont

s4703973

because Hinge services society as a whole by connecting singles and people by facilitating a safe
platform to do so. For many, Hinge is the reason they have met their soul mate. This fact overlaps into
a personal benefit of users as well. Users’ social life can be greatly impacted by a simple swipe right.
Hinge has the power to change lives of millions.

4)

I have personally experienced this benefit by meeting my current boyfriend on the platform. I found
that Hinge’s unique algorithm aided greatly in my search for a partner by only suggesting profiles and
it predicted I would find attractive. Although Hinge has not explicitly come out and said that their
algorithm measures attractiveness, it is widely discussed online and apparent to any Hinge user.

5)

Hinge is a platform that has used datafication to transform the way modern people date. Trading roses
and flowers for likes and super likes, Hinge has changed modern dating exponentially. Becoming so
normalised, dating platforms are how many modern singles meet. The company has used datafication
to realise important information necessary to form connections with people in a new form that
maximises the apps success (Bandinelli, 2022). This is exemplified by users’ ability to see critical
information about others such as if they drink or smoke, as well as, their occupation, location, age,
wanting/already having kids and what they are looking for on Hinge. Most importantly, this can be
seen before a match is even made.

Hinge has also commodified dating by offering a premium feature that provides many more benefits
to the app that free users don’t. These include unlimited swipes, being able to see everyone who has
liked you as well as the ability to filter profiles based off of religion, height, having kids or not etc.

6)

Hinge does offer a premium feature to which users may choose to pay for. Purchasing this allows for
easier and broader usage of the app with special features not offered to free users. These features
include the ability to see everyone who has liked your profile, as well as the allowance of targeted
filtering of profiles. This is the ability to apply a filter such as height for example, and only be shown
profiles that are that height. This feature makes hinge unique from any other dating app as this
datafication allows users to target exactly what they are interested in.

Users also ‘pay’ with their own data that is used by hinge to allow for targeted advertising. This works
mutually in the users favour as the more information about them on their profile, ultimately aids in the
matchmaking process. More information given to the algorithm allows for a more targeted and
suitable match. However, this also benefits Hinge financially as they use this data to allow for targeted
advertising on the app. Selling this data to advertisers who pay Hinge to show their adds to users who
are fit into the desired category most relevant to the advertisement.

References
 Jordan Lamont

s4703973

Bandinelli, C. &. (2022). Dating Apps: The Uncertainty of Marketised Love. Retrieved from Sage
Journals: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/17499755211051559

Curry, D. (2023, May 2). Hinge Revenue and Usage Statistics (2023). Retrieved from Business of Apps:
https://www.businessofapps.com/data/hinge-statistics/

Gamidullaeva, L. T. (2021). Cross-Sectoral Digital Platform as a Tool for Innovation Ecosystem

Development. Retrieved from ProQuest: https://www.proquest.com/docview/2596062240?
pq-origsite=gscholar&fromopenview=true#:~:text=A%20digital%20platform%20of
%20cross,the%20intersections%20of%20traditional%20industries

Hinge. (2023). Hinge. Retrieved from Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hinge-app/

Hinge. (2023). The dating app designed to be deleted. Retrieved from Hinge: https://hinge.co/en-gb

MOA. (2018, November 13). Hinge: A Data Driven Matchmaker. Retrieved from Digital Initiative :
https://d3.harvard.edu/platform-rctom/submission/hinge-a-data-driven-matchmaker/