Just ask these people, who had such awkward encounters that they couldn’t resist screenshotting the evidence and sharing it with the world. Below, we’ve gathered some of their most cringeworthy moments—from rude replies to jokes that fell flat. Scroll down to check them out, and don’t miss our chat with dating coach Abi Blears about how these apps are shaking up modern relationships. More info: Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube But it’s not all sunshine and roses—Pew Research Center found that in recent years, more people using dating apps have ended up feeling frustrated (45%) rather than hopeful (28%). Among Gen Z, that frustration is even more intense, with 79% reporting burnout from the endless swiping and messaging. But there are also times when conversations take a turn for the worse, with people being unexpectedly rude or just plain cringe. To understand why this happens, Bored Panda reached out to dating coach Abi Blears. “We spend too much time talking on apps when we should be forming most of the first impression in person,” believes Blears. “Texting is much more open to interpretation, and we can’t see how our joke or comment lands. In person, we can quickly smooth over a faux pas, but over text, we can’t see the look of horror sweep across the other person’s face!” “If, for example, someone is taking things too quickly, you could say something like, ‘Call me old-school, but this is more of a fifth-date conversation for me!’ and use an emoji to convey your intended tone,” advises Blears. “Or you could even address the situation directly by saying, ‘I’m not sure I’m getting your tone here!’” Asking for clarification if you’re confused, rather than immediately taking offense, can help keep the conversation on track. For many women, the experience has been particularly negative. About 65% of single women looking to date say they’ve faced harassment, such as uncomfortable physical contact or having rumors spread about their sexual history, compared to 50% of single men. “We have the perceived choice of many more people than we used to, which is great in some ways, but it’s proven that the more choices we have, the harder it becomes to make a decision,” she adds. “This often leads us to doubt the choices we’ve made and hop from person to person when faced with normal relationship challenges.” “Ghosting is a new phenomenon that has a huge impact on self-esteem, and the introduction of apps causes us to focus on the information in front of us and form quick, less accurate opinions of people,” notes Blears. “In the past, our first impressions were more accurate because we would only meet a person face-to-face.” “Dating apps treat people like commodities, and encourage us to treat others the same. We are not online shopping. We are looking for people we may potentially spend our lives with.” So, who knows? Maybe we’ll soon be swapping app swipes for good old-fashioned chats with strangers at bars. Whatever the future holds, we hope it brings you closer to finding your soulmate! Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
