Match.Com Owner Hit With Class Action Lawsuit Over ‘Addictive’ Dating Platforms

SAN FRANCISCO — The owner of several online dating platforms, including Match.com and Tinder, has been hit with a putative class action accusing it of designing them with “addictive, game-like design features” that trap users in an endless “pay-to-play” loop that prioritizes profits over customers’ relationship goals.

In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the six lead plaintiffs say MatchGroup Inc. has violated consumer protection laws by concealing the platforms’ addictive design from users while charging them increasingly expensive subscriptions to unlock “special” features that fail to deliver on the company’s marketing …