Forget the tech — Silicon Valley whizz kids are going old school.
Bay Area singles are unplugging from dating apps and lookingfor love in real life after being exhaustedby “ghosting,” dead-end chats and false advertising online.
A growing wave of “app-athy” is sweeping NorCal and paving the way for in-person connections.
Speed-dating events and IRL mixers are seeing a massive surge in popularity in San Francisco, with bachelor and bachelorettes ditching algorithms to pitch themselves on stage in an open-mic setting.
The Faight Collective, a Lower Haight arts-and-culture hub, hosts gatherings like live comedy dating shows, where singles go through three to five rounds of live dating on stage before an audience.
A comedian host keeps the banter sharp and the awkward silences short, while the crowd acts as a collective Cupid, cheering for their favorite pairs to decide who walks away with a date.
“Because the world in 2026 is all about meeting IRL, not on dating apps,” the organizers at Thursday said.
“I feel like in person it is more organic, you get a vibe,” said Sabina Rodriguez, 57, a veteran of the South Bay speed-dating circuittold the Mercury News.“There’s just little quirks you find out by talking. The conversation is more intimate.”
It’s not just vibes, though. Daters are reportedly fed up with AI-filtered photos, catfishing nightmares and conversations that are dead in the water.
Paul Neuenschwander, a 37-year-old relationship coach, said the apps have essentially become a breeding ground for “desperation” and “less confidence.”
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
