Work

Dating apps as tools for social engineering

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: In a bid to boost their below-replacement fertility levels, some countries, such as China, India, Iran, and Japan, have launched state-sponsored dating apps, with more potentially following. However, the use of dating apps as tools for social engineering has been largely neglected by political theorists and public policy experts. This article fills this gap. While acknowledging the risks and historical baggage of social engineering, the article provides a qualified defense of using these apps for three purposes: raising below-replacement birth rates, increasing social cohesion, and preventing certain genetic diseases.

Source: Ethics and Information Technology

DOI: 10.1007/s10676-024-09817-y

Authors: Martin Beckstein, Bouke De Vries

Institutions: University of Göttingen, Ghent University

Language: English

Topic: Ethics and Social Impacts of AI

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,990

Funders: Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, HORIZON EUROPE European Research Council