Study shows that 11-year-old children are using dating apps

Although most dating apps are intended exclusively for adults over 18 years old, a study has found that even preschool-aged children are finding ways to use these apps. A study published in the journal BMC Research Notes found that children aged 11 or 12 are using dating apps. They observed data from over 10,000 children aged 11 to 12. While the majority of them do not use dating apps, 0.4% admitted to using them. Although this may seem like a small percentage, it means that about one in 250 underage children has dipped their toes into dating apps. It was found that boys of this age group use dating apps almost three times more often than girls. This could be due to young men spending more time on screens than girls and finding it easier to talk virtually with a romantic interest than in person. Among minors who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, the likelihood of using an online dating app was 13 times higher than in adolescents who identified as heterosexual. "Lesbian, gay, or bisexual adolescents, even at a preschool age, may have limited opportunities to find a romantic partner in their schools... Dating apps can allow adolescents to identify other LGB users in close geographic proximity who have a sexual orientation in real life," says Jason Nagata, lead author of the study.