Level of comfort using dating apps during the confinement in France 2020, by age

As the COVID-19 induced lockdown has left many young people feeling lonely in the comfort of their own homes, dating has become somewhat difficult. Meeting new people has become a restraint for many and the use of dating apps has long been debated, with the possibility of leading to a physical encounter. More than half of 25-34 years were fairly comfortable with using meeting apps during the lockdown, while the 18 to 24 year olds were a bit more reluctant. Looking at the gender, more men than women felt an ease for virtual dating. The general opinion on whether the French actually continue to use dating apps during the lockdown predicted a rather probable outcome.

French dating behavior outside of the sanitary crisis

Even though most couples meet at work or through common friends, the digital technology has allowed many shy personalities to flirt through the barriers of a screen. Applications such as Tinder, AdopteUnMec or Happn, have seen a rise in downloads over the years as half of the French online dating population sees a potential in finding their soulmate or a serious relationship through the modern interpretation of cupid's arrow. Other types of relationships of a purely sexual nature were are also of interest for many, and virtual capacities can often benefit long-distance couples in keeping that flame alive by engaging in virtual sex.
However, unsolicited contacts or pictures of a predatory sexual nature can make their way into ideals of love and respect.

Online dating harassment and revenge porn practices

There seems to be a discrepancy in the number of naked or risky content sent by French men and women and the amount received. On average, about 23 percent of men had received "nudes", a term used in the Internet language to refer to nude pictures or videos, compared to 16 percent of women. Furthermore, about less than five percent of women had taken their clothes off in from of a webcam.
But, sharing is not always caring as many dread the exposure of their sexual content. Even though the majority of the French population seems to respect the physical and mental privacy of the ones they receive content from, more men than women have proliferated the content of others without them knowing than women. Another setbak of online dating are the forms of harassment encountered by numerous women.