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Comment by IgorPartola | Hacker News Reader

I wonder how much AI is going to change online dating apps. “Hey Stable Diffusion, generate a photo of me shaking hands with Tom Hanks” and I have a cool profile photo.

Bots can do the same: “generate a photo of me holding my driver’s license, I need it for Tinder verification”.

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On Tinder and other dating apps, I see lots of women using very obvious filters that just make them look sort of blurry and pale and I always swipe left. I just question why they would go for filters that are so obviously filters. Everyone knows that's not what you look like, and it doesn't even look good. But now TikTok has these new video filters that can add makeup and look very realistic [0]. Can make women go from ordinary looking to supermodel. Follows the person's movement flawlessly.

Unfortunately, when technology like that becomes more common, people are definitely going to be tricked, and feel tricked. It's going to be awkward going on a date and the person looks nothing like what you expected... Awkward on both ends.

At some point... The online reality might become so fake, with disinformation generated by bots, generated images and videos, fake dating profiles (that are actually also just bots)... I wonder if it's going to spur some kind of reactionary movement. A movement to disconnect from the internet completely, or at least so socialize more in real life. Maybe some bars and pubs where you have to check in your cellphone at the door. Offline cafes.

[0] The new TikTok makeup filters in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw2euJzOk60

I don't really see how it's that bad. When meeting in-person, women spend the time to put on all that makeup -- it's not different, that's why it feels so "realistic." Why is it so bad that a filter can do that without all the work that is normally required?

In reality I don't believe that over-optimizing your online dating profile by lying is a major issue. If your objective is to use your profile to find dates, it's important to avoid misrepresenting yourself as it only delays the rejection from the online stage to the in-person stage, which is a more time-consuming and expensive process. Additionally there is limited benefit to exaggerating your profile because your matches will eventually meet the true version of yourself anyway. I think it's best to aim to present an authentic and positive portrayal of yourself in your profile. Ultimately honesty is key as it will lead to more genuine and compatible matches.

I'm confused by why so many people are worried about disinformation at this level. Sure, it's going to be difficult to have authority and trust at the state level and that's a governmental issue, but at a personal level, all this means is that the face to face conversation is going to carry more weight. I don't really make much of people's social media profiles, it's all just nonsense.

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