The dissertation addresses how technology-mediated dating practices on Tinder shape the intimate lives of its users. It connects techno-materialistic media studies with sociological analyses of intimacy. Using a combination of the walkthrough method and semi-structured interviews with a diverse sample of 26 individuals, it provides an in-depth insight into the platform’s technical capabilities and infrastructure, revealing how these technological features shape user experience. The findings show that swiping, geolocation, and ghosting enhance the sense of control over interactions but also bring uncertainty. Despite numerous interactions on the app, in-person dates are rare, highlighting the paradox of modern dating on Tinder: the app’s functionality diverges from its promises of efficiency, leading to desensitization and disappointment. Repeated interactions reduce emotional involvement, as swiping and ghosting normalize the rapid formation and rejection of connections, which results in dissatisfaction with technologically mediated relationships and an ambivalent attitude towards Tinder and other users. Dating remains confined to the context of the app, with technologically mediated interaction and the maintenance of status in the online environment taking precedence. This leads to a process of digital enclosure in dating, which is also reflected in users’ attitudes towards intimate relationships on Tinder, based on unburdened spontaneity. Tinder is perceived by its users as a space for exploring identity and personal growth, where relationships serve to support individual development. The app functions as a space for reflection without institutional pressure, while users face various possibilities, risks, and challenges of the modern digital world. Based on empirical data, the research concludes that technologically mediated dating on Tinder is marked by uncertainty and digital enclosure, which affects both the relationships between users and their subjectivity. This study is the first in Slovenia to use the innovative walkthrough method and semi-structured interviews to provide an in-depth look into the key dimensions of technologically mediated dating practices on Tinder, contributing to the understanding of the impact of digital media on the intimate lives of its users.
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