Match Group, which owns the dating app Tinder, will leave the Russian market until June 30. This is stated in the organization’s annual report:
“We are committed to protecting human rights. Our brands are taking steps to restrict access to their services in Russia and will complete their exit from the Russian market by June 30, 2023.”
Tinder works online via mobile apps for smartphones. In addition to this service, Match Group also owns Match.com, Meetic, OkCupid, Hinge, PlentyOfFish, Ship, and OurTime.
Vitaly Milonov, deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Family, Women and Children, suggested creating a Russian Tinder analogue.
“There is a need for a dating search service. It doesn’t have to be Tinder, it has to be a Russian platform. Most importantly, he must be protected from all these profursets, escorts and prostitutes. So, of course, verification on these services should be done through “Gosuslugi”, – aforementioned On the broadcast of the “Moscow Speaks” radio station.
He emphasized that he knew strong couples who met on the Internet. But Tinder, in her opinion, “has unfortunately become for many a platform for short-term dating, even if they are not prostitutes.”
In a conversation with Lenta.ru, Milonov suggested creating a matchmaking service based on the Orthodox Church.
“To get out, we need to create Russian social networks. You can involve various organizations that can help with this. For example, you can create a network of acquaintances, Muslim social networks based on the Orthodox Church,” the deputy said, noting that it is religion that helps people start a family. According to Milonov, Gosuslugi is also suitable for verifying such a version of Tinder.
With the start of the special operation in Ukraine, many foreign companies withdrew from the Russian market. They also include alien matching apps: Bumble, Badoo, and Fruitz. Tinder has not left, but limited access to paid options for Russians in April last year.
In July, a Moscow court fined Match Group LLC (owner of the Tinder service) 2 million rubles for refusing to localize Russian data. An administrative action was brought against the company pursuant to Part 8 of Art. 13.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation (the failure of the operator, when collecting personal data, to ensure the registration, storage or extraction of personal data of citizens of the Russian Federation using databases located on the territory of Russia ).
How has the global situation affected dating apps?
In May 2022, Match Group executive and finance director Gary Svidler said events in Ukraine were reflected in financial performance, mainly due to falling revenues in Russia, Ukraine and “some other neighboring countries”.
Kommersant in February 2023 interrogated Popular dating services in Russia according to the results of their work in 2022. Against the backdrop of the departure of competitors, they managed to increase the audience.
For example, the number of people visiting the VK Dating page on a daily basis increased by 73% compared to the spring of 2022. The company also assured that there are no problems with paying for services, as additional service options can be purchased for “votes” on the social network itself. There is no separate “VK Dating” app for Android and iOS.
“Mamba” increased viewership by 20% and “Teamo” by 30%. However, restrictions on card payments by Apple and Google caused a drop in revenue.
Mamba said that figure is 10% less but net profit has doubled. According to Kartoteka.ru, Mamba’s revenue in 2021 amounted to 1 billion rubles, net profit – 24 million rubles. Among the problems faced by the application for the selection of a couple, the general director of the service Andrey Bronetsky points to the partial mobilization and departure of part of the audience of the service from Russia.
Olga Petrunina, CEO of Pure Russia, also complains that payments have “fallen”. According to him, the revenue of the service in the Russian segment increased by 25%, and in other countries by an average of 80%.
Teamo also complains that earnings are falling despite more users. Still, as the general manager Anna Grishacheva noted, it was possible to compensate for the decrease in income due to payments in the web version.