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Online dating lowers self-esteem and increases depression, studies say

By Juliet Marateck, CNN

Updated 0823 GMT (1623 HKT) May 29, 2018

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Desktop-based online dating is so 2008. Although sites such as Match.com remain popular with older singles, younger users are flocking to mobile-first dating apps. Here's a look at some digital tools for today's lonely hearts.
Photos: Digital dating options
Desktop-based online dating is so 2008. Although sites such as Match.com remain popular with older singles, younger users are flocking to mobile-first dating apps. Here's a look at some digital tools for today's lonely hearts.
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Siren is an app created for women by women that puts the ladies in the driver's seat. Women control who sees their image, who can communicate with them and what type of date to pursue.
Photos: Digital dating options
Siren – Siren is an app created for women by women that puts the ladies in the driver's seat. Women control who sees their image, who can communicate with them and what type of date to pursue.
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Fast-growing app Tinder lets users build profiles by importing photos and interests from their Facebook accounts. The app will then produce nearby matches -- possibly even down your street or across the bar -- fitting your search criteria. Users swipe right if they're interested and left if they want to reject the match. If both parties swipe right, "it's a match!" and they can communicate from there.
Photos: Digital dating options
Tinder – Fast-growing app Tinder lets users build profiles by importing photos and interests from their Facebook accounts. The app will then produce nearby matches -- possibly even down your street or across the bar -- fitting your search criteria. Users swipe right if they're interested and left if they want to reject the match. If both parties swipe right, "it's a match!" and they can communicate from there.
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OkCupid is a free dating site and mobile app that crunches users' answers to a series of questions (Are you messy? Have you ever cheated in a relationship?) to create compatibility scores. It claims that its system is accurate at predicting matches -- as long as users are honest.
Photos: Digital dating options
OkCupid – OkCupid is a free dating site and mobile app that crunches users' answers to a series of questions (Are you messy? Have you ever cheated in a relationship?) to create compatibility scores. It claims that its system is accurate at predicting matches -- as long as users are honest.
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Hinge is a matchmaking app built on finding love with a little help from friends. Users sign in through Facebook and are sent matches each day from their extended social circles.
Photos: Digital dating options
Hinge – Hinge is a matchmaking app built on finding love with a little help from friends. Users sign in through Facebook and are sent matches each day from their extended social circles.
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Match, one of the first and largest dating sites, also has a mobile app. The formula is pretty standard: Users fill out a profile, and the app will send them daily matches that meet their standards. Users also have the ability to browse profiles outside their daily matches.
Photos: Digital dating options
Match.com – Match, one of the first and largest dating sites, also has a mobile app. The formula is pretty standard: Users fill out a profile, and the app will send them daily matches that meet their standards. Users also have the ability to browse profiles outside their daily matches.
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Zoosk is another app that boasts its own innovative matchmaking technology. As a user clicks on profiles, the technology documents the types he or she is attracted to in order to better match needs and preferences.
Photos: Digital dating options
Zoosk – Zoosk is another app that boasts its own innovative matchmaking technology. As a user clicks on profiles, the technology documents the types he or she is attracted to in order to better match needs and preferences.
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The Wyldfire app allows female users to invite only the men who they would want their friends to date into the dating pool. The matchmaker site likes to take things offline too by offering local meetup events for its users.