Feeld Reveals New Insights on Building Safer Intimacy Through Inclusivity: State of Dating Vol. 2

January 29, 2025 – Feeld, the dating app for the curious, presents The State of Dating Vol 2: Building Safer Intimacy Through Inclusivity, a report by Feeld x Dr. Apryl Williams, Assistant Professor of Digital Studies, Communication & Media at the University of Michigan and Faculty Associate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. The report explores how digital platforms can create safer, more inclusive environments for connection, especially for minoritized communities, to foster trust and authenticity in an era where digital intimacy is intrinsic in our daily lives.

Drawing from a comprehensive survey of over 6,000 respondents across the U.S., U.K., and Netherlands—conducted in collaboration with research consultancy Censuswide—along with insights from nearly 3,000 Feeld Members, the report examines how digital spaces can inspire respectful, transparent and consensual behavior between people. It also highlights the unique opportunities and challenges of navigating a world that embraces both online and in-person intimacy. Dr. Apryl Williams, author of Not My Type: Automating Sexual Racism in Online Dating, offers a critical analysis on the barriers marginalized communities face in both digital and offline dating spaces.

Key Findings

1. Online safety is a priority for marginalized communities:

   • Queer daters are 80% more likely to prefer online connections for safety compared to heterosexual daters, according to Censuswide data.
   • 83% of trans, nonbinary, and genderqueer respondents prefer online dating over offline, citing safety concerns.
   • 66% of trans and gender nonconforming respondents reported seeking connections outside their immediate geographical area to avoid unsafe offline spaces.

2. Digital intimacy encourages self-expression and exploration, unlocking potential for personal growth:

   • 34% of Feeld Members surveyed feel that connecting on online platforms helps build trust and an increased sense of safety before meeting in person.
   • Online connectedness may offer another pathway to harm reduction: approximately 40% of those surveyed conveyed that digital intimacy platforms facilitate intentional conversations by allowing daters more time to process and respond to new or unexpected ideas—possibly reducing the kind of hostile exchanges that occur when individuals do not feel they have space to lean in with genuine curiosity and kindness.
   • 40% of Feeld Members connect online first because they feel safer and more in control than when meeting for the first time in person.

3. A sense of safety is subjective and enabled via a variety of tools and features:

   • 58% of surveyed Feeld Members highlighted control over personal information as the most important feature for creating safer online dating environments.
   • 53% of surveyed Feeld Members identified blocking and reporting tools as critical for maintaining their sense of safety and control. This reflects the varied safety needs of Members in digital spaces.

Contextual Analysis

“Digital spaces can offer safer opportunities for self-exploration and connection, but only when built with intentionality and equity,” said Dr. Apryl Williams. “Online platforms like Feeld demonstrate that when apps are designed with marginalized communities in mind, they not only create inclusive environments but also redefine how safer intimacy can be cultivated in a hybrid world.”

In addition to fostering safety, Feeld’s emphasis on intentional co-creation with its diverse, global community helps combat the thought homogeneity often found in online spaces. 64% of Feeld survey respondents reported greater openness on Feeld than on other dating sites or in person, and over 30% of non-cis Members surveyed were more likely to report feeling more comfortable meeting online compared to cisgender Members. This ability to engage thoughtfully in diverse and meaningful exchanges underscores Feeld’s role in creating spaces that encourage curiosity, introspection and deeper connections.

“We’re grateful for the openness and acceptance that our Members show one another, but obviously no platform is perfect, which this report openly highlights,” shared Ashley Dos Santos, head of communications at Feeld. “What Dr. Williams shows us is the tremendous opportunity everyone in the dating industry has to increase visibility and trust for all communities to find the deeper connections that so many of us crave - no matter what that looks like for individuals of all backgrounds.”

Implications for the Future

The State of Dating Vol. 2 reveals how shaping products that intentionally reimagine digital intimacy through inclusive design and community-driven values can shape safer spaces online. As societal norms continue to evolve, the report highlights the necessity of fostering spaces that champion safety, authenticity, and self-expression.

Read the full report to explore the findings in more detail. Explore our exclusive survey infographics containing further insights, stats and analysis by the Feeld Data team.

Notes to Editor: 

About Feeld

Feeld is the dating app for the curious; those open to experiencing people and relationships in new ways. Founded in 2014 by Ana Kirova and Dimo Trifonov after questioning the status quo of their own relationship, they were inspired to challenge cultural scripts around gender, sexuality, and dating on a global scale. Feeld’s ever-evolving platform creates a safer space online and IRL for people to explore their curiosities outside of existing blueprints and find meaningful human connections of all kinds. Feeld has led with a progressive mindset since its inception, pioneering a remote-first work model with a globally distributed team. With over 20 sexuality and gender options in-app and growing, Feeld is a space for the experiences that make us feel alive and most intimately connected to ourselves and others. Learn more at www.feeld.co.

Instagram: @feeldco

About Professor Apryl Williams

Apryl Williams, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Digital Studies, Media and Communication at the University of Michigan and Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. She is the author of Not My Type: Automating Sexual Racism in Online Dating, which has been featured in Essence Magazine, Time Magazine and the Harvard Gazette. Her previous research has appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Wired, Buzzfeed News, and The Washington Post, among others. Her work has been supported by grants and fellowships from Google, the Mozilla Foundation, the Notre Dame IBM Technology Ethics Lab, the National Center for Institutional Diversity, and the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University.Raised in San Antonio, Texas, Apryl earned her BA in American Studies and PhD in Sociology from Texas A&M University. With an interdisciplinary background, her work is influenced by black feminism, technology studies, critical internet studies, critical race theory, and critical media studies. She explores the lived black experience as it is shaped by algorithmic technocultures, the gendered black body, and race and racism as they manifest and evolve in our contemporary artificially fragmented society. As the co-founder of the no Algorithmic Reparation Workshop, her current research uses the frame of algorithmic reparation(s) to call for more equitable, human centered, AI-driven and machine learning technologies. Accordingly, she is consulting with members of the United States Congress to develop a progressive legislative agenda for AI. She has also worked with Facebook, Instagram, Her, Data & Society, and Grindr to advocate for communities that have been historically underrepresented and underserved in the design and implementation of emergent technologies.