Technology has transformed so many areas of our lives and relatively quickly in the grand scheme of things. From tech used to make education more accessible, for example, to the ever talked about artificial intelligence (AI) shaping many sectors, the way tech has integrated with the modern world both seamlessly and speedily is notable.
One area where technology has reshaped experience is online dating. Dating isn’t the same now as it was even 10 or 15 years ago. In fact, in many ways, it’s a whole new ballgame altogether. The biggest shift? The pandemic, according to panellists at a discussion held at Tech Show London last week on the 12th March 2025 at ExCeL London. The pandemic sent many hopeful daters online to find love, but with that came an uptick in opportunistic cybercriminals waiting to exploit them in a game where vulnerability is often encouraged. So, how can we make dating scams less attractive?
This is exactly the question debated by Simon Newman, CEO of the Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA), and Becky Holmes, author of (the exceptionally named) Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You, in a panel discussion (moderated by broadcaster and researcher Stephanie Hare) entitled Swipe Left on Romance Scams: Combating Romance Fraud Through Ethical App Design and Communication at Tech Show London.
The panellists noted that there’s a fine balance between user experience and safety, both paramount to the experiences of online daters. Trust and safety at all stages are key, but also keeping dating fun is important. None of these things can or should be compromised. This provides dating apps and sites with a tricky situation. What we need is more friction, according to Simon and Becky.
