The Rise of 'Situationships' in the Era of Dating Apps

Social media didn’t ruin relationships—dating apps did. Let me explain. Meet Tom. Tom is a Senior Project Manager at a reputable Fortune 500 company, happily married to his dear wife, Jane. Together, they have two kids: Molly (5) and Ingrid (7). Tom uses social media, sharing daily photos of his beloved family on Instagram and Facebook to keep friends and family updated.

One day, however, Tom feels bored. Jane is stressed and grumpy from managing the household—taking care of the kids, cooking, cleaning, and running errands. Twenty years ago, Tom might have started flirting with the office secretary, taking her out for drinks, and potentially engaging in an ongoing affair. Since they were colleagues, she might have gone along with it, and who knows—maybe it would have spiraled into a Betty Broderick 2.0 situation.

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But in 2025, things look a bit different. Now, Tom can simply download a dating app—Hinge, Tinder, Bumble—and create a profile. He uses a fake name, occupation, marital status, and denies having children. With his new persona, he begins his quest: shopping for a new lover. This new partner needs to live far enough away to avoid being spotted in public but close enough for convenient meetups after work.

Before dating apps, most married men who cheated engaged in office affairs. Men often cheat not solely out of impulse but based on opportunity. With work-from-home mandates reducing in-person office interactions, combined with cultural shifts like the #MeToo movement discouraging inappropriate workplace behavior, the opportunities for such affairs have diminished. Enter dating apps.

Now, a lack of options is no longer an issue. With dating apps, the world is a cheater’s oyster. Infidelity has become discreet and as easy as one, two, three. Unlike social media platforms, dating apps don’t require you to have a following, making them even more covert. A cheating husband can easily tell a new lover, “I don’t do social media—it’s immature and not really my thing,” masking his true identity. The cheating begins, and yes, it really is that simple.

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It’s easy to spot a fake page on social media—accounts with zeros across the board, a few throwaway images, and no real following, clearly indicating an unused account. Dating apps, on the other hand, require nothing but a few good pictures, some white lies, and a simple message like, “Hey, I’d love to take you out this weekend.” The average successful, good-looking man is not on a dating app looking for a serious relationship.

Why would he be? Men don’t wait for women to approach them—they approach women. As a society, we’ve all been bamboozled into believing one of the most cleverly devised schemes ever: dating apps. The global dating app market was valued at $8.5 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow to nearly $12.95 billion by 2030. Does that sound like a business model designed to help you find love? If dating apps were truly created to aid people in finding their perfect match, they’d eventually go out of business.

These platforms rely on users staying on the app to view advertisements, and they need people to believe that if they just invest in a premium package, Tinder will send them their knight in shining armor. If the apps were actually effective at fostering meaningful, long-lasting relationships and marriages, the business model would collapse.

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Dating apps require very little information—a name and a location are often enough to get started. Once that’s provided, you can begin “shopping” for your next partner almost immediately. Masculine men don’t need dating apps. These men aren’t shy or insecure; they know what they want and pursue it directly.

If a man isn’t pursuing women in person, it’s not because it’s hard—it’s simply because he doesn’t want to. It’s easier to ghost a woman you’ve met in a “make-believe” digital space than someone you’ve met face-to-face, someone you recognize as a tangible human being. Dating apps are like a mini playground of virtual reality NPCs for many men who are just looking for a quick hookup, whether it’s to cheat on their partner or scratch an itch because they're too broke to date in real life.

But do these men intend to get serious with the women they meet on dating apps? The short answer is no. We’ve heard countless Hinge horror stories and Bumble dating fails, making it clear that these experiences are anything but unique. When something happens frequently enough, it becomes normalized—and what’s normal often becomes trendy. Unfortunately, what’s on trend is men not taking women they meet on dating apps seriously. In fact, admitting to dating someone from an app might even get them laughed out of their group chat.

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On Reddit, men have answered the question, “Where are men supposed to meet women these days?” and their responses might surprise you. Popular answers include the bookstore, park, bar, bowling alley, or at local events. One user wrote, “You should absolutely hit on women you come across in your everyday life—on the bus, sidewalk, mall, store—anywhere outside your front door. It doesn’t matter. Do it respectfully and with social intelligence, meaning if you come across a woman who clearly does not want to talk (because it will happen eventually), just leave her alone.”

These threads are seemingly endless, and notably, dating apps are never listed as a viable option. In 2025, we’re taking a stand to help our single girlies find true love, and the first step is simple: #DitchTheDatingApp.

Once you’ve deleted all of your dating apps, feel free to sign up for an exclusive invite to our Tribe Community. The community is free for discussions, but to participate in events and activities, receive free gifts, or have the print issue of She’s SINGLE Magazine delivered to your door, a subscription of just $12/year is required. These events are designed to help women meet quality men who are intentional and ambitious (no broke boys allowed).

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Our questionnaires are extensive, and both women and men must meet specific criteria to gain an invite. We strive for fairness and want to ensure that if we are working diligently to connect you with quality men, these men are also meeting quality women. As a disclaimer, even if you are a Platinum member, you will still need to complete a background check and interview to be invited to these social events.

Women still crave intimacy, and so do men. The problem is that too many options often lead to burnout and a sense of defeat. Think of it like going out to eat: if the menu is seven pages long, it’s less appealing, and there’s a high chance the quality of the food will be poor. When we stretch ourselves too thin trying to master everything simultaneously, we end up delivering lackluster performance in some areas of our lives. This is often why cheaters—even those on dating apps—eventually get caught.

Join the movement in 2025 and say goodbye to disappointment and being someone’s second choice.

by Danielle Wright