Tinder-style dating apps ‘lower your self-esteem’

ONLINE dating damages selfesteem and leaves people upset about how they look, a study has found.

Researchers suggest using services such as Tinder – where strangers can swiftly reject you based on the picture you upload – only leads to insecurity.

Users were found to be less happy with their appearance, and were more likely to compare themselves to others.

The findings affect more than 9 million Britons who have used a dating site or app.

The University of North Texas study, published in the journal Body Image, states that because dating sites only offer a short space for people to write about themselves, users tend to be judged based on their photos.

This means that those who do not get results will begin to question the way they look.

Lead author Dr Jessica Strubel said: ‘Users, anticipating the scrutiny of others, may become acutely focused on themselves.’

Researchers found that men were more likely to become selfcritical as a result of using dating apps. Users of both sexes were less confident than those who did not use apps at all.