Love in the Time of Dating Apps: Uncertainty and the Information Age

Dating apps promise more access, more options, and more information than ever before. So why does dating often feel so much worse?

This first session in the Love in the Time of Dating Apps series explores uncertainty as the defining condition of modern dating in the Information Age. Rather than offering dating tips, scripts, or generic "fixes", this class zooms out to examine the environment we’re dating inside and why it asks so much more of our attention, interpretation, and decision-making capacity. And what can be done about it.

Led by Emily Pabst, ChoiceTech Consultant and Coach and founder of Remake The Rules, this session draws on information science, decision-making strategy, and human-centered technology to make sense of why uncertainty lingers longer today, why more information doesn’t necessarily lead to clarity, and why feeling stuck or unsure is often a rational response to our present predicament.

Who is this for?
This class is designed for people who are currently on the apps, thinking about starting or restarting, or just trying to understand why dating and daily decision making feels harder than expected. It is intentionally dating-goal, orientation, and identity agnostic—focusing instead on how decisions get shaped, not what or who you should be aiming for. Expect a nerdy and ultimately hopeful conversation along with interactive moments to reflect privately on your own experience.

This session is part of a five-part, monthly series that looks at modern dating through the lens of uncertainty, choicetech, information overload, choice inflation, and decision fatigue. Each class stands on its own, but together they offer a deeper framework for understanding and reshaping how you relate to dating apps and how they are either helping or hindering your search for connection.

A sliding scale, suggested contribution of $5-$35 is requested for this event. Your contribution helps cover the costs involved in creating thoughtful, accessible programming and supports the continuation of this series. No one will be turned away for inability to pay.

If you’re curious, reflective, and interested in understanding how modern systems shape your dating life, this session is for you.