Question Where are all the Dating Apps

[aHumanError]

So I noticed when looking for dating apps a week ago that none of the big ones appear anymore. Tinder, Bumble, PoF, Badoo, etc all do not appear when searching on the Google Play store and most of the results are branded as "social networking" rather than any dating apps. But if I Google search a specific dating app I can download it from the resulting google page, and is how I managed to install Badoo, but then if I search Badoo in the play store it doesn't show up... despite having it installed, and also the resulting apps aren't anything to do with dating.



I'm using a Samsung s21 Ultra. I've read a few people have had this issue on other forums but was dated years ago and of course never a fix. I've tried all the usual stuff like stopping & clearing the Google Store cache/Data, as well as Google Play services, restarts, removing/add account, etc...

Something here doesn't seem right at all. Am I missing something?

 

[belodion]

Everything is normal for me. Those apps appear when searching "dating apps". This is the Play Store version:

 

[B. Diddy]

What region of the world are you in? Maybe it has to do with the location.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Is this a work device? Are you of adult age in the country where you reside?

 

[aHumanError]

I'm in the UK. I remember the results were much better around a year ago when I last installed any.

I've tried using my network and wifi, I also have a VPN where I've tried a bunch of locations with no difference in results. I find the whole thing strange, I can only put it down to Google changing their policies and no longer list such apps... but then again I wouldn't be able to find them in a simple Google search... which ironically directs me to a Google store page where you can view and download them as normal.

I've checked for Google store updates and I seem to have the current version.

It just raises questions. I think what else might be unlisted... is it related to age, or location?

It's one of those annoying random issues with seemingly no resolution.

 

[B. Diddy]

Were you only using the VPN to test other locations, or do you use it all the time? If the latter, then try turning it off completely and see if the issue persists.

 

[aHumanError]

I rarely use VPN on my phone, only while using wifi in coffee shops etc. I just tested different locations with it to see the results.

Another app I once had installed (And that still exists) in Patook, it's more of a social networking app and I've discovered that no longer shows, either. But again, I can google search it like the others. It's getting frustrating!

 

[aHumanError]

For anyone interested I've finally figured out what's going on and it's so obvious and dumb.

Turns out now you have to be "verified" in order to return apps that are considered "mature". I brought the issue up with Google and they responded with possible reasons and a link to verify my age. But come on, at no point did it make me aware I had to do this, nor is it in any place I've seen when digging through all the options... including my personal information, i.e AGE. On top of that this was never an issue a little while back as I remember, so it's seemingly something they've implemented - possibly in some new agreement rubbish that nobody ever reads. I suspect many other people have the same issue without even realising it.

Now when searching the store loads of apps are there that were missing. But it's all pointless anyway because I was still able to install a "mature" app before jumping though this hoop via a simple google search. What kid wouldn't know about that these days?

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

I wonder if my Google account is verified, given that it is in fact old enough to access mature content itself lol.