Dr Lisa Portolan

Tech-enabled abuse can show up long before the physical violence, writes Dr Lisa Portolan. And yet women are told to “stop being paranoid”.

Bumble’s move from swipe culture to AI matching raises questions about agencies choice and real life connection.

The allegations uncovered by the BBC about sexual violence during the filming of Married At First Sight UK should force a reckoning.

Several MAFS grooms explained that, as men, they believed they should buy the family home. It was framed as responsibility, protection.

Reality TV, dating apps, and social media normalise hegemonic masculinity, shaping Gen Z men’s beliefs and relationship expectations.

If 2025 was the year dating apps told us how to feel, then 2026 should be the year we stop listening, writes Dr Lisa Portolan.

Romance and love does not have to follow rules to be real. It does not need to be posted, launched, or validated to count.

Online groups like “Sis, Are We Dating the Same Guy” have abruptly paused following a defamation case, raising concerns about legal risks.

For many women, the trauma of being on dating apps is not worth the potential of meeting a partner, writes Lisa Portolan.