Apple: Closed, Proprietary Systems Are Bad (Unless They're Our Own)

Match.com Upset That Other Dating Sites Cite Stats About Themselves, Like It Does

from the less-wrong dept

Thu, Apr 29th 2010 6:21pm — Carlo Longino

Online dating site Match.com sent a letter from its lawyer to rival Plentyoffish.com last week, accusing it of citing statistics about itself and its members (like the fact that they'll go on 18 million dates this year) that Match says can't be supported. It then went on to "demand that [Plentyoffish] immediately cease and desist"... or provide Match with user data to back them up. Ever the friendly rival, Match's lawyer said the company would be glad to sign a confidentiality agreement before taking a gander and Plentyoffish's proprietary data. POF's founder basically told Match to get lost, highlighting several figures that Match touts about its service, including one saying that an average of nearly 1000 people per day get married after first meeting on Match. To be honest, a lot of the figures cited by both parties are a little hard to believe, and sound like little more than attempts by the sites to sell hope to prospective users. But starting a fight over a rival's claims -- when all that's likely to do is call attention to your own -- may not be the wisest move for anybody in the online dating business.

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Filed Under: rivals, studies
Companies: match.com, plentyoffish

18 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2010 @ 6:32pm

http://blog.okcupid.com/index.php/2010/04/07/why-you-should-never-pay-for-online-dating/

--> The real story about this.

The okcupid blog is one of the more interesting ones around.
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- scarr (profile), 29 Apr 2010 @ 9:46pm
  
  Re:
  I think the OKCupid blog is doing some of the most fascinating sociological studies these days. I've never used the service, but I adore their blog.
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Bob Bunderfeld (profile), 29 Apr 2010 @ 7:27pm

Fraud
Whatever happened to the day that Merchants had to PROVE their claims before they were allowed to tout them?
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- Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2010 @ 9:19pm
  
  Re: Fraud
  Was that ever the case?
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minijedimaster (profile), 29 Apr 2010 @ 7:56pm

Pot meet kettle.
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Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2010 @ 9:35pm

"including one saying that an average of nearly 1000 people per day get married after first meeting on Match."

Wow, talk about relationships doomed to fail.
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- Anonymous Coward, 29 Apr 2010 @ 9:39pm
  
  Re:
  Also, I wonder if they have daily divorce statistics on the number of married people who have first met at Match.
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weneedhelp (profile), 30 Apr 2010 @ 8:02am

to sell hope to prospective users.
Selling hope. Is that illegal?
HOPE
Hmmm...where have we heard that before.
The "alluring con" indeed.
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Advanced Technology, 1 May 2010 @ 12:22am

Use DoFollow Links Only
I have been thru the ups and downs of the Myspace application games, and it is almost like the creators at MafiaMoFo heard everything I suggested Zynga do to make their games better. A++ job on every aspect of MafiaMoFo. There is no more “down” time, there is always something to be doing. Search Downtown for free cash, gamble at the casino, then complete a few crime jobs, hit the gym and increase your player stats…and then relax in the live chat linked in the forum. That is only a small list of things to do. If you are bored of the same old app game, you should try out this one. You will NOT regret it. The creators have done an amazing job with ever changing job scenarios and detailed graphics for weapons, armor, and vehicles. The best part of all is you will always see the admin or staff online ready and willing to answer any questions you might have. I look forward to seeing you in game.

jay.sara
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Senior Lady, 23 Sep 2010 @ 12:24pm

They may be bad...
They may be bad to each other but these sites do help a lot of people. I seriously doubt they get so many couples married, but it's a fact that they help people with few social contacts to find others who will like spending time with them.
As for 18 million dates... highly arguable but I think we all have heads on our shoulders and will be able to see what's behind that statement.
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dating spy, 22 Oct 2010 @ 9:35am

dating sites
I don't mind. I mean i go to all the sites you can think just to find that "ONE" and my favorite would have to be perfectmatch.com
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- Anonymous Coward, 27 Jun 2011 @ 2:50pm
  
  Response to: cconlyone on Jan 25th, 2011 @ 6:54pm
  Stop spamming you idiot
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Kyle Eppard, 17 Mar 2011 @ 6:55pm

Nice!
Pretty interesting post! I find a lot of things about dating sites to be interesting. Definitely the new way to find yourself the "one"
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SarahL, 27 Jun 2011 @ 2:49pm

Match.com
DatingSpy we're not interested in perfectmatch, now do one, spammer
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Wink2date, 23 Sep 2011 @ 2:16pm

unbelievable !!
Unfortunately these larger dating sites are well known because they lied to get there, while other websites like ours stay truthful and loyal to our customers and having their best interested and safety in mind since 2001.
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brian sloan, 8 Mar 2015 @ 9:27pm

POF
Match VS POF? Who would have though a few years ago that we would have had a battle between dating sites? But I really don't know if POF can't back up theri figures.
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