Millions of people have found love with online dating — but it seems that just about everyone who’s used a dating app has encountered at least one profile that they couldn’t swipe left on fast enough.
While some social media users have taken to Twitter, Instagram, and even TikTok to post screenshots of some of the worst dating profiles they’ve ever seen — from the racist to the sexist to the otherwise cringe-worthy — Redditors are now sharing their top dating profile turn-offs, which may prove helpful for users who aren’t finding much luck on Tinder or Bumble.
Top turn-offs include users who have rigid physical requirements, those who offer up no personal details, and people who proudly boast that they’re not very nice.
Don’t do this! Redditors are sharing their top dating profile turn-offs, which may prove helpful for users who aren’t finding much luck on Tinder or Bumble (stock image)
Rude: Several have said they swipe left on negativity, like ‘someone that goes into a rant about what kind of person they don’t want’
Gross: While no one is saying it’s bad to be particular or have preferences, explicitly listing superficial ones in a profile can be a major turn-off
This guy’s not it! ‘Don’t waste my time’ is another line that sends up red flags
While no one is saying it’s bad to be particular or have preferences, explicitly listing superficial ones in a profile can be a major turn-off — even for those that meet those requirements.
One Redditors said they can’t stand ‘when they have requirements like height, weight, and so on,’ while another agreed that it’s off-putting.
‘Having preferences in terms of physical features and personality are one thing. We like what we like, and we don’t like what we don’t like,’ they said. ‘But to have a bulleted list of requirements in order to even speak to someone is crass and shallow.’
One Twitter user even found a Bumble profile with a points system, in which potential matches were asked to add points based on whether they don’t wear makeup, ‘have a hobbie,’ and are a ‘freak in bed,’ and subtract points if they smoke, can’t cook, are needy, or ‘get easily offended.’
Not including personal information in a profile — or only writing incredibly generic things — is also an easy way to get other users to swipe left.
‘Having literally no personal information about themselves besides their name, age, and a half dozen emojis [is a turn-off],’ wrote one Redditor. ‘Please, ma’am/sir I would like to know who you are besides what your body looks like.’
A real catch: Some brutally honest daters don’t seem to realize that they’re not showing they have much to offer a romantic partner
Uh… Sometimes, something that is meant to be flirting is actually fairly unwelcome by the opposite sex
One thing on the brain: Even for a woman just looking for a hookup, such a sexually explicit —and boastful — profile is unlikely to earn interest
Some pointed out that not including any information about your interests or personality makes it really difficult to start a conversation with anything other than ‘hello’ or a cheesy, generic pickup line.
Generic bios can also be off-putting for their cluelessness. As one Redditor pointed out, writing that your likes are ‘laughing, smiling, living’ hardly makes you different than anyone else.
By that same token, television quotes might indicate you like a TV show, but not much else.
‘When your entire profile is TV show quotes, but especially if it’s a show that’s incredibly popular. You’re not interesting or unique for quoting Michael Scott,’ wrote one commenter. ‘And if your entire personality is bound up in the popular media you digest, then you’re probably incredibly boring.’
No personal info is bad, but incorrect personal info is problematic, too — particularly when a bio says something like ‘My profile is wrong. I’m actually [age].’
‘Every single time I’ve seen that, the profile age is older than their actual age. This means that at some point in the past, they’ve lied about their age for something related to a dating site. No thanks,’ said one.
Yikes! Some pointed out that people can often reveal their toxic traits without realizing it — for example, by proclaiming to be better than others of their gender
It also likely means that the user may be trying to fall within the preference parameters of younger users, who had specifically indicated that they weren’t interested in someone that age.
But one of the biggest takeaways from the Reddit thread — and most Tinder and Bumble bio nightmares shares on social media — is that negatively rarely flies.
One said they had to see ‘someone that goes into a rant about what kind of person they don’t want, bitter and gross,’ while another said ‘flipping off the camera’ is a turn-off.
‘Don’t waste my time’ is another line that sends up red flags, with one user explaining that it ‘says a lot about someone when they sound irritated before they even talk to you.’
In one case, a Twitter user shared the horrifying profile she came across on Tinder, wherein Jim, 40, wrote: ‘If you are looking for a night in a shiny armour, please grow up.’
He went on: ‘If you are looking at a guy to throw money at you because you are beautiful, just become a prostitute, it’s far more honest. If you are looking for a taxi driver/travel agent, hire a professional not your boyfriend. If you are looking for the man of your dreams, bloody wake up.’
Real nice: Some dating app users have also shared examples of incredibly sexist dating profiles from men looking to date women
‘You said no to all those great guys that you thought weren’t good enough for you in your 20s. Now you’re not good enough for men because you’re too old,’ said one man
‘I’ve learned when someone tells you who they are immediately to always listen,’ one Redditor wrote
Meanwhile, another commenter offered: ‘Any time someone describes themselves as an “a**hole.” I think it’s meant to be cute and cheeky but why would I wanna spend time with someone who freely admits they’re a jerk?’
‘I’ve learned when someone tells you who they are immediately to always listen,’ another agreed.
Other hints at toxic personality traits can also send dating app users running, like writing ‘I don’t like drama’ or ‘If you can’t handle me at my worst you don’t deserve me at my best.’
The latter is a quote that is often wrongfully attributed to Marilyn Monroe, which commenters said was like admitting ‘I’m a complete a**hole and I expect everyone to be okay with that.’
Some dating app users have also shared examples of incredibly sexist dating profiles from men looking to date women — including sexually explicit bios and one in which a man proclaimed that American women need to ‘grow up’ and learn things from men.
‘Ever wonder why you’re single and in your 30s/40s, never married and with no kids?’ asked Bumble user Ed, 34, in his bio. ‘It’s because you said no to all those great guys that you thought weren’t good enough for you in your 20s. Now you’re not good enough for men because you’re too old.’
Finally, some agreed that they hate to see people ask for Instagram followers, people who have poor grammar, and those who list education as ‘University of Life.’