Digital Discourse Database

Number of Posts: 8
Posts 1 - 8

Wege aus der Peinlichkeit

(Exit ways out of embarrassment)

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Newspaper | die Weltwoche
Date | 28.9.2017
Language | German
Country | Switzerland
Topic Tags | emojis, gender, misunderstanding, online dating, politeness, research/study, texting, youth
Summary | Emojis have entered our communication with no turning back but using them is a minefield of misunderstanding. It is especially risky in the initial stages of texting with a love interest: studies show that people tend to imitate the communication patterns of their interlocutor if they are in love with them. Because women are more communicative than men, they tend to be the ones who are imitated in such a scenario. But men, beware! Do not go overboard with your heart emojis, it's too girly. One should however also refrain from making overly abrupt changes to ones emoji habits as it can seem distanced and elitist if one stops to use emojis altogether.
Image Description | N/A

Texting With Boys

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Newspaper | The New York Times
Date | 10.6.2017
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | gender, online dating, texting
Summary | The author loves how the digital age has changes dating enabling romantic interests to communicate mainly via text messages, despite the widespread opinion that cell phones have killed romance. However, many men prefer women to be good listeners in person and via text message and lose interest when women text them music and books recommendations.
Image Description | A GIF of the response being typed symbol known from messaging apps (speech bubble and ellipses).
Image Tags | gifs

Der Nächste, bitte!

(Next, please!)

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Newspaper | Die Zeit
Date | 13.7.2016
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | addiction, diversity, gender, online dating, threat
Summary | Online dating is tricky because the apprearance of an abundance of romantic prospects makes us reluctant to stick with one person. Many people get into a state of sexual restlessness that borders on sexual addiction with the help of online dating apps. Many such apps encourage casual sex which bears the risk of sex addiction. One app notorious for being mainly for casual sex is Grindr, a dating app for gay men which is designed. Women on dating apps have the problem that they are most attractive in their early 20s to men of all ages which means that they are less likely to find a partner the older they are.
Image Description | Images of men and women.
Image Tags | female(s), male(s)

Für kluge Menschen ist Twitter das bessere Tinder

(For smart people Twitter is better than Tinder)

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Newspaper | Welt
Date | 13.6.2017
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | gender, online dating, research/study, Twitter
Summary | Online dating apps like Tinder clearly put the focus on images. Considering that many womenvalue a sense of humor very highly in a partner, people should be looking for partners on Twitter because that is where most people showcase their wit. A recent dating survery on Twitter has shown that many users are single and looking for a partner and that many follow other Twitter users out of romantic interest. Most however also report not thinking that Twitter is an appropriate platform to ask someone out on a date.
Image Description | Image of a woman in a cafe looking at her smartphone.
Image Tags | female(s), smartphone

Werdet ihr mich streicheln wie diesen Mops?

(Will you pet me like this pug?)

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Newspaper | Die Zeit
Date | 25.8.2016
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | gender, online dating, selfie
Summary | There are patterns of how people present themselves on Tinder. Most use selfies. They say a lot about being single: not only is one alone in the picture but usually also alone in taking the picture using a mirror for instance. Many people try to appear less lonely by posting pictures with animals. Women very often do the so-called duckface so as to emphasize all desirable features like cheekbones and full lips and often write that they expect the men to contact them first.
Image Description | Getty image of a pug and a dog with dreadlocks.

Diese Emojis solltest du dir beim Flirten sparen

(You should avoid these emojis when flirting)

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Newspaper | Welt
Date | 24.4.2017
Language | German
Country | Germany
Topic Tags | emojis, gender, misunderstanding, online dating, research/study
Summary | Emojis can be quite tricky because they can lead to misunderstandings. This is particularly problematic in online dating. The dating app Clover analysed their users' chats to find out which emojis are a success in online dating and which emojis should be avoided. They found out that women like the hearts-for-eyes emoji, the monkeys and other animals, as well as the tongue emoji. They dislike the eggplant emoji and emoijis displaing strength, for instance the biceps of fist emoji. Men like the kissing emoji as well as the cheeky tongue-out emoji. They dislike the ring and the poop emoji.
Image Description | The emojis women/men like and dislike.
Image Tags | emojis

Tinder Makes More Genders!

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Newspaper | Huffington Post
Date | 16.11.2016
Language | English
Country | U.S.
Topic Tags | gender, online dating
Summary | Tinder is a popular dating app (or altenatively a casual sex app) widely used by millenials to find a partner. Tinder has recently announced that they now give users more options when chosing their gender identity. Until now, Tinder only accommodated gender identities of a binary conception, i.e. 'male' or 'female', and now they have expanded their repertoire to include, for instance, transgender men and women.
Image Description | A video which is however no longer available.

It may be shallow and salacious, but don’t blame Tinder for online misogyny

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Newspaper | The Guardian
Date | 8.4.2016
Language | English
Country | UK
Topic Tags | gender, online dating, research/study, social media, threat
Summary | A new study revealed that the dating app Tinder spreads sexism and ideals of beauty; however, according to the author of the article, such behavior is not new. The media tends to portray new technologies and new apps as responsible for numerous societal ills, thus being dangerous. This new research follows a similar discourse while blaming the dating app Tinder of misogyny. However, sexism and beauty standards also existed before the age of social media. Thus, sexist comments are not the result of new technologies/apps; they go well beyond our digital devices.
Image Description | Photograph of a smartphone with the Tinder app open; we can see parts of a woman's face and a big LIKE in green.
Image Tags | female(s), smartphone, Tinder

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