Love, Apps & Authenticity in 2025
WORDS: Alex Mellor-Brook, Dating and Relationship Coach, Co-founder at Select Personal Introductions
In an era where romance often begins with a swipe, singles across Britain are experiencing a curious paradox: more connectivity yet less connection.
Dating apps have been around long enough to be a subject of serious study. The term for that experience of uncertainty about how we present ourselves on apps is ‘ontological uncertainty’ - a seriously heavy 2022 research paper argues that apps restate old fears about finding a partner without removing any messiness they claim to reduce. If you feel uncertain about online dating or fed up with digital let-downs, I’ve got suggestions to help you navigate the app maze.
Drawing the Line: Digital Boundaries for Emotional Well-being
Dating app fatigue has become a genuine psychological phenomenon. In a US survey, 70% of people reported experiencing burnout, a feeling that’s increasingly echoed in the UK.
My suggestion: set a digital dating schedule - perhaps two evenings a week online, keeping weekends for in-person socialising.
The Instagram Relationship: Soft Launches and Digital Deception
The ‘soft launch’ of carefully curated glimpses of a new partner has become a relationship milestone. While sharing joy is natural, it’s worth reflecting: are you seeking genuine connection or external validation? Authentic relationships often flourish better away from the digital spotlight.
AI Assistance: Help or Hindrance?
Dating profiles can now be entirely AI-generated, from witty openings to filtered photos. But recent research suggests AI-mediated conversations may ultimately undermine genuine intimacy and honest engagement.
Use technology to enhance rather than replace your authentic voice:
Don’t exaggerate your hobbies: we’ve all seen those profiles where people jump out of planes, gamble in Vegas, salsa-dance and swim with dolphins. Bigging up your interests might seem like it’s going to get you more dates, but if it’s not the genuine you, those relationships will go nowhere.
Be honest about your values: building connections on dishonesty leads to failure. If you’re not committed to veganism, don’t pretend. But if you’re genuinely dedicated to something, be upfront about it. There’ll be somebody out there who wants to share your vision and lifestyle.
Be you: tailoring your personality to a dating app is both painful and self- defeating. Pretending to be extrovert when you’re really a homebody won’t work, and claiming to be relaxed and easy-going when your favourite things are timetables and spreadsheets is not only dishonest, it’s a way of damaging your self-esteem without necessarily recognising that’s what you’re doing. Trust yourself and be yourself.
Summer Dating with Intention
This summer, approach dating with clear purpose. Before opening any app, clarify what you’re seeking. For safety, keep conversations within the app until you feel comfortable, then move promising connections to real life promptly – no algorithm can replicate face-to-face chemistry.
Rediscovering Authenticity
Successful daters recognise that while technology facilitates introductions, human connection remains wholly analogue. In a world of curated profiles and automated conversations, your authentic self is your strongest asset. Perhaps this summer, the most revolutionary dating approach isn’t a new app, but rediscovering the art of being genuinely, unapologetically yourself.
Hungry for more?
Read up on the latest news, delicious eats, travel treats and seasonal style trends in FEATURES, or browse a curated selection of our FEATURED PRODUCTS, meander through our guide to the finest things to do in Cheshire and beyond in WHATS ON or partake in our COMPETITIONS.
About The CHESHIRE Magazine
We are the definitive guide to luxury lifestyle in the North West. Latest news, delicious eats, travel treats and seasonal style trends. The Cheshire Magazine is the largest luxury lifestyle title for the North West of England, dropping directly through the letterboxes of VIP subscribers from the Wirral to Greater Manchester plus all the villages and towns in between and digitally available as a subscription in print and digital on issuu.com worldwide. We specialise in connecting luxury brands to likeminded consumers.
If you are interested on how you can partner with The CHESHIRE Magazine, read more about us. Or get in touch to find out more about marketing, featuring or partnering with the Cheshire Magazine in print or online.
