New Study Finds Teens Exploring Digital Romance — With or Without Safe Spaces

Nearly one-quarter of surveyed teens have accessed friendship and/or adult dating apps, according to a recent Northwestern Medicine study published in the Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science.

That number has increased from previous years, shining a light on teens’ growing interest in friendship and online dating spaces that meet their specific needs. 

It’s no surprise, then, that some non-dating platforms, including the gaming platform Roblox, have expressed interest in joining the dating industry. They’ve seen the same industry growth potential as Lilian Li and her fellow researchers at Northwestern University. 

“Teen dating relationships can shape mental health well into adulthood, sometimes predicting factors such as self-esteem, depression and anxiety,” Li said. “So, understanding how teens engage with dating apps is crucial for understanding this important aspect of their social development.”

The results of the study don’t only shed light on where modern teens go online, but on their future engagement in the dating industry. 

Teenagers Flirt on Friendship-Based Apps 

Li and her colleagues found that nearly 24% of the 149 teens involved in the study visited dating apps at least once over a six-month period. 

The study, the first of its kind, recorded real-time keyboard activity on the phones of teens using a smartphone app called Effortless Assessment Research System.

This method ensured that the study’s young participants couldn’t cover their virtual tracks, giving the researchers uber-accurate insights into app usage by teens and its effects on their mental health. 

People tend to blame technology for modern-day problems like the loneliness epidemic, a rise in childhood anxiety, and a lack of social skills. Northwestern’s study throws a wrench in a few of these common assumptions. 

Yes, the study found that teenage dating app users are more likely to break the rules and take drugs. But just as significant is what the study didn’t find: Teenagers who experienced much worse mental health as a result of dating apps.

At the end of six months, study participants who did use dating apps were not significantly better or worse off mentally than those who didn’t. 

The apps these teens chose to visit may say something about their priorities: “In the study, dating app users were more likely to identify as a member of a sexual and/or gender minority group, suggesting these apps may offer a safe and anonymous space to build community away from real-life discrimination,” according to Northwestern Medicine.

As digital natives, teens are naturally drawn to online spaces to make connections, even if those spaces are strictly for adults, like Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble. Apps that screen for underage users do so for a reason; many online spaces can prove confusing, toxic, even dangerous for kids who aren’t old enough to hold their own.

Hence the Texas App Store Accountability Act. According to CNN, the Act states that app stores must verify the ages of everyone who downloads an app or purchases something through an app. If a user is a minor, they must provide parental consent before accessing the app.

The user must share their age group (child, young teenager, old teenager, adult), and the app store is responsible for confirming that a minor’s parental consent came from a legitimate, legally sound source.

It’s worth noting that some of the apps included in the study are friendship-based, and are accessible to teens under 18. Friendship-based app Yubo was the second most frequently visited app for teens in the study based on the number of messages sent.

And the Pdbee, the fifth most frequently visited app, connects people aged 12+ based on their specific personality traits. 

Naturally, teens still date on these friendship-based apps, which once again places the spotlight on teens’ increased interest in online dating. Friendship apps that offer mental health awareness, privacy, and that help create genuine romantic connections could very well become a meaningful part of the social media diet of some teens. 

The popular gaming hub Roblox hopes to be one of the first non-dating platforms to introduce a safe, ID-verified dating site for people aged 17 and over. 

Roblox Sees An Opportunity to Innovate for the Future 

Roblox is most popular among elementary-aged kids and tweens, and hasn’t traditionally catered to the interests of more mature users. Founder and CEO David Baszucki wants this to change. 

A growing number of older teens and adults — 22%, according to Game Reactor — on the app has inspired Baszucki to explore adding an adult dating element to the platform. 

Where kids see a hub for dress-up games and virtual pets, Baszucki sees a more complex version of Tinder. He also sees it as a potential date spot for established couples who can’t meet in person. 

Roblox’s success as a gaming platform may be due in part to the ease with which kids can communicate and interact with each other in Roblox games. Attracting adults, particularly with a dating app, could have dangerous consequences for the vulnerable kids on the site.

In a recent episode of the podcast TechStuff, Baszucki assured critics that strict ID verification would prevent children from joining an adult-only (and still hypothetical, it’s worth noting) Roblox dating site. He also clarified who he thinks the ideal demo would be for a Roblox dating site:

“I think a lot of people who are too afraid to go on a real-life date might find it easier to have a virtual date to start.”

Baszucki has also picked up on young people’s dating app needs, namely mental health support and wellness resources. He emphasized that innovations in online spaces — gaming, dating, or otherwise — are inevitable, and it’s better for developers to be prepared. 

“This type of technology is coming,” he said. “Can we do this in a way that is more civil and higher quality than any other company could?” 

If the Northwestern study rings true, then he’s not the only CEO asking himself that question.