The singles choosing in-person dating events over apps

'I'm fed up of swiping': Why singles now want to meet IRL Checking in at a dating event in a bar in Guildford, Olivia Miller-Davis is understandably apprehensive. Even bringing a friend with her doesn't remove the awkwardness at the start of the night. It's always nerve-wracking when you're meeting new people, the 28-year-old admits before downloading an app that will match her to other daters based on their star signs. This is speed dating 2026-style and Olivia, like many people we speak to, is here because she's fed up of endlessly swiping or as some describe it app fatigue. She says she hates judging people with really limited information and just a couple of pictures because she doesn't feel she can really fully commit with so little to go on. According to a recent study from online regulator Ofcom 11% of adults use dating sites but it suggests the time we spend on them is dropping, from a peak of almost four hours a month in 2023, down to three hours last year.