One of the most common complaints by straight men using dating apps is that they barely get any matches, and when they do, replies are rare. But on the other side of the screen, women are dealing with something entirely different — unsolicited explicit photos, weirdly aggressive messages, and even harassment.
Women constantly share screenshots of these interactions online, and we’ve rounded up some of the most unhinged ones to show how chaotic online dating has become for everyone involved.
They’re also a reminder that if you’re being creepy… the problem is you, not the apps.
#1 I Hate It Here
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#2 Well, That Escalated Quickly
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Online dating has opened up way more possibilities than people had before. Swiping from your couch feels a lot less intimidating than walking up to someone at a bar.
It’s also become a pretty normal part of how people meet. Around 80 million people in the US use dating apps or websites, which is 30% of the adult population.
But the numbers also show an interesting gap — about 34% of men use dating apps, compared to around 27% of women. This imbalance alone changes the whole dynamic, like how people interact or how often they match.
#3 Just Gonna Leave This Here
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#4 Second Hand? Women Are Like Clothes Now
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The difference between how men and women experience dating apps is pretty well documented.
One study found that women “accumulate more matches much faster than men,” which basically means they have way more options to choose from. On the flip side, men swipe more and message more, but see lower returns.
Research on Tinder showed that men tend to like profiles much more frequently, while women are far more selective — which slows things down for men and speeds things up for women.
#5 Why Do Men Do This?
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#6 Dude Really Used A First Impression For This
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But women’s experience isn’t just about having more matches, it’s also about dealing with risk.
A study found that women on dating apps are significantly more concerned about harassment or even assault when interacting with matches. On the other hand, men are more worried about rejection or being falsely accused.
Numbers from the Pew Research Center show the stark reality:
- 56% of women under 50 who have used dating sites or apps said they’ve been sent an unsolicited explicit message or picture
- Around 43% of women said they’ve had someone continue to contact them after they said they weren’t interested
- About 37% of women said they’ve been called an offensive name
- 11% of women said they’ve received threats of physical harm.
The study also found that women are more likely than men to describe their experiences as negative overall, as are straight users compared with those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual.
#7 Well, That’ll Be Enough Tinder For Me Tonight. Goodnight, Yall
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#8 And They Say Men Can’t Hold Conversations
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#9 I Like How He Went From No Hard Feelings To I’m Pushing The Age Limit
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Men are also more likely to use multiple apps and spend more time on them, studies show. They often use them with different intentions — like serious relationships, casual dating, hookups, or even boredom — but still end up with fewer matches and conversations.
For example, a guy might send out 20 messages and get one reply, if that. Meanwhile, a woman might open the app to dozens of messages, but half of them are low-effort, inappropriate, or just plain weird. So while one side feels ignored, the other feels overwhelmed.
This is also one of the reasons why some men respond by doubling down with intensity when they get a smaller number of matches or replies.
“Some men behave this way as they felt entitled to women’s time, attention and bodies combined with traditional ideas about honor. They feel if a woman rejects them, that’s a mark against their honor. The only way to get that back and to restore their place as a dominant man is to be violent,” says Lily Thacker, an adjunct professor at the US-based Eastern Kentucky University.
#10 We Were Supposed To Go On A First Date This Monday
Image source: Anon
#11 What Is This Guy’s Bio
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#12 Is It A Full Moon?
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Another big reason why men send such creepy messages is because they have the freedom to hide behind a screen without facing any immediate social consequences.
A recent study found that frequent dating app use is also linked to an increased objectification of others, and distorted signals of consent. This means that some users misread matching or basic replies as openness to physical relations.
There’s also the “gamified dating” effect. Swiping makes people feel like they’re browsing a catalogue instead of interacting with real people. That can reduce empathy and make people push boundaries.
This isn’t to say there haven’t always been more risks for women when it comes to dating. But dating apps have, in many ways, normalized behavior that would be considered completely unacceptable face-to-face.
#13 I’ll Be Honest, This One Hurt My Feelings A Bit
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#14 I Mean There’s No Need To Be So Harsh
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#15 I Will Never Understand Why They Think This Works
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However, it’s important to understand that the risks aren’t limited to the apps.
Research shows that harmful dating app interactions can spill into real life in very serious ways, including stalking, coercive control, love bombing, and even physical violence.
Studies show patterns like harassment, monitoring behavior, repeated unwanted contact, and escalating control that can continue even after someone stops replying or tries to end contact.
#16 We Matched And This Is The First Thing He Said To Me
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#17 Why Do Some Men Think This Is Okay?
I’m recently single after a long-term relationship and decided to hop on Hinge for the first time just to see what the dating world is looking like these days. Got a like from a guy and thought, “Oh sweet!” and checked out his profile and saw that. Why do some men think this is okay? Like, genuinely, what was the thought process behind that?
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#18 Found On Tinder. Never Seen So Much Blatant Misogyny In One Profile
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This kind of behavior has also led to women building their own informal safety nets outside the apps.
“Whisper network” style groups have popped up on Facebook and other platforms like the women-only app Tea Dating Advice (Tea). Here, women share screenshots or profile photos of men they’re talking to and ask if anyone has had experiences with them.
It’s not about gossip as much as it is about caution, and a way to check patterns before meeting someone in real life.
#19 Are The Men Okay?
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#20 He Could Try, But My Leg Press Is 475. Why Do Men Have To Be So Ick?
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Dating apps are slowly starting to react to this broader problem as well. Many platforms now include safety features like photo verification, reporting tools, and warnings about suspicious behavior.
Some have introduced background check partnerships or safety prompts before meeting in person. Others are testing ways to reduce harassment in messaging, like filtering explicit content or limiting unsolicited contact.
But despite these updates, a lot of users still feel like the responsibility for staying safe lies on individuals.
#21 Men, You’d Get So Much Further If You Just Tried To Have A Non Dirty Conversation First
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#22 The Men At My School, Ladies And Gents
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One of the most worrying things about toxic or abusive interactions online is how often they get brushed off. A common idea is that people are being too sensitive in reaction to this online harassment.
Unsolicited explicit photos or repeated unwanted messages often get turned into memes or screenshots for entertainment, instead of being recognized for what they are — criminal behavior.
But at the end of the day, it’s not the dating apps that created misogyny or bad behavior. Our attitudes matter just as much.
#23 Dude Unmatched Me For No Reason And Then Comes Back With This Like He’s A Princess I’m Supposed To Rescue
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#24 We Went On One Date
Granted, we had been talking for a month prior to. But this is a lot.
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#25 “I Am An Honest Guy, So Cook For Me”
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#26 Didn’t Even Say Hello, Sent Him To The Police Station
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#27 Guess I’m Unhinged
Conversation was going well. Guy wanted to meet. I asked Guy if he wanted to get dinner or drinks to see if we vibe. He said he doesn’t drink and has a weird diet. This conversation followed. For context I’m Native American. Guess I’m unhinged.
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#28 Effort Guys. That’s All It Takes
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#29 Some Messages I’ve Gotten With “Long Term Partner” Selected
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#30 I’m Done With Dating
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#31 Aw Man I’ll Never Get Married At This Rate (Side Note: He Randomly Said We’d Make Great Babies)
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#32 I Wish I Wasn’t So Stupid
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#33 “Tinder Is So Much Easier For Women”
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#34 This Guy’s Profile Who Liked Me On Tinder
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#35 “So Now You Reply” He Says To The Person Who Messaged First
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#36 Men Never Cease To Surprise Me
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#37 This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
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#38 He Was Just Trying To Be Nice
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#39 Guys Will Never Learn
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#40 Waiting For Men To Stop Making Every Conversation Like This
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#41 Can You Believe The Line “Drinks Now” Did Not Make Me Wanna Hang Out With This Dude?
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#42 The Most Bizarre Answer To One Of My Opening Moves
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#43 The Audacity
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#44 Shouldn’t Be On Tinder. Should Be On UnHinge
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#45 Another Win For The Men
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#46 I Hate It Here
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#47 I Just Want To Have My First Relationship. Why Are Men Always So Pushy? It’s So Discouraging
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#48 This Profile Is Why Women Swipe Left On 94% Of Tinder Men. It’s So Off Putting And I Know His Boundaries Could Be Worded A Lot Better
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#49 I Just Love Tinder Men
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#50 No Way This Dude Is Serious, Right?
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#51 My Expired Match Messaged My Mom On Facebook
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#52 This Is 99% Of My Experience In Dating Apps
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#53 Super Entitled
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#54 “I’m Not The Lucky One, You Are And That Needs To Be Remembered”
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#55 Same Guy Who Put This In His Bio vs. His First Texts To Me
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#56 “I Wouldn’t Take Advantage Of You, So You Should Take Pics”
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#57 Why? Just Why?
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#58 Texts Sent To My 55 Year Old Mom After Less Than 24 Hours Talking To Him
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#59 Jason Is Apparently The Expert In Dating
His profile had no bio at all. Only 2-3 pics one of them was of him holding his daughter. Profile doesn’t mention already having a kid. The pictures don’t indicate any interests because they are mostly selfies or a picture where he cropped out the person standing next to him. So basically he just listed some interests. One of his interests was takeout so I asked him about his favorite takeout restaurant. He could have just unmatched, but he decided he had to give me his dating advice.
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#60 The Obligatory “Fatty”
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