Hot Assets: A Value Network Analysis of User Exploitation in Mobile Dating Applications

Background: This article investigates the dynamics of user exploitation on two popular mobile dating apps owned by Match Group: Tinder and Hinge. Analysis: We integrate theoretical perspectives from the research literature into a framework for value network analysis. We apply our framework to identify four themes related to user exploitation in the value network of Tinder and Hinge: (1) data harms, (2) cognitive manipulation, (3) user economization, and (4) asymmetric power. Conclusion and implications: Our findings advance the theoretical and empirical understanding of user exploitation in mobile dating research. We also provide directions for future research on user exploitation in mobile dating apps.