by Marie-Pierre Vidonne published on 27 April 2022

Jessica Pidoux

Listen to the UX research geeks podcast hosted by researcher and strategist Tina Ličková about the The art of seducing dating app algorithms with Laurie Dutheil & Jessica Pidoux:

How does dating app’s research affects you as women? [50:18]

Laurie: it’s a very powerful tool that I can get access to thanks to Jessica’s work, I feel more legitimate but as a human being, as a citizen, I a more aware about how the algorithms work. I got the knowledge so I am in peace, I feel that it is really helpful for me. I also understand what is the responsibility of the machine, what is my own responsibility and in that way I feel I am empowered. Of course I am responsible of my own love life, I’m responsible of protecting my data, my body and my soul, and all that but… I feel empowered because I feel more in charge of my life, of what can I expect and I can just consider dating apps as it is, as a tool, which can be improved but that can be really helpful.

Jessica: I met a driver of apps like FreeNow, Uber and so. We have so many things in common about dating and mobility apps because when you use Uber you are being profiled as a client and as a driver too. You are put in competition with other drivers, the drivers are trying to understand: Why they are getting the best rides, and why not me? It's like how we can feel on dating apps: Why this guy is getting all these women? Why this woman is getting all these men?

It was a very nice encounter wuith the driver because, it’s like what we are all learning with Laurie, how are we getting empowered knowing more about a system, about what data is collected, how this data we are putting publicly is affecting our daily life, both online and offline as we see with dating apps, it affects who are you going to meet face to face and how you are going to evaluate your feelings and attractiveness. The research has been for the best, for myself and the community and works like Laurie's and this driver's work is putting together people, we are creating social groups again which are divided by the technologies somehow, by side effects… people like Laurie, you are putting together the daters and the knowledge at their service back again."

https://www.uxtweak.com/podcast/