Hinge Adds Feature to Determine Interaction Quality — Here's What the Beating Heart Means

Getting on dating apps is a perilous prospect these days. AI has become frighteningly good, making it easy for people to deceive one another. And in a world full of stress and everyday chaos, it seems like people are more likely to ghost than ever before.

Which means that any time you hop on a dating app, you're taking a big risk.

Hinge users have recently noticed the addition of a new feature on the app: a beating heart on some profiles and next to the names of some users in their inbox. But what does it mean? Here's what we know about what the new beating heart signals, and why it's something you might want to pay attention to if you use Hinge.

If you've been scrolling through Hinge and suddenly became aware that some profiles are sporting beating hearts, you're probably a little confused.

After all, it kind of resembles the heart you'd expect when "favoriting" something, but that's not what's happening.

It's called "Signals."

In a newsletter explaining the update, Hinge wrote, "Signals highlights a dater’s thoughtful participation on Hinge over time, including how they explore profiles, respond to interest, and follow through in conversations. When a dater’s recent activity on the app reflects these indicators, a Signals badge may appear on their profile."

They add, "When a dater’s Signals badge is active, it means their recent activity on Hinge reflects thoughtful participation and follow-through, and that their profile meets the baseline requirements for the feature."

In other words, it's a good indicator that the person you're talking to has consistent and quality conversations and is less likely to ghost. It's not fool-proof, of course, but it's a good starting point if you're a little nervous about investing time in someone who might just bounce suddenly.

So, how do you go about getting the Signals symbol on your profile, if you're looking to be noticed as a quality app user with a lot to offer prospective partners?

Luckily, Hinge has spelled out a roadmap in the update newsletter.

They can not be purchased, so let's get that out of the way. They have to be earned. And eligibility is reassessed on a regular basis, so it's not a "one and done" deal.

The app notes that you have to meet basic requirements to be eligible, including:

• A complete profile
• An account in good standing that adheres to trust and safety requirements
• Consistent use over time
• Selfie verification
• Thoughtful participation
• Spending time looking before liking
• Sending comments
• Messaging matches
• Confirming dates.

The newsletter adds that profiles with Signals, "Meet all of the baseline requirements, including Selfie Verification," and "Show a combination of three out of the five additional criteria," such as "look before liking," messaging matches, and other criteria.

It's not perfect, but when you're looking for a meaningful connection and don't want to waste your time, it may be a helpful starting point to get off the ground with.