Cloaked Survey Reveals Robocalls Deter Phone Sharing on Dating Apps, Pressuring Platforms to Enhance Privacy

The constant barrage of robocalls and spam texts is fundamentally changing how Americans share their personal contact information, with dating and social connections taking a significant hit. New research reveals that privacy concerns and spam fatigue are causing users to withhold their real phone numbers, even when it means missing out on potential romantic connections. This trend poses challenges for dating platforms as they try to balance user privacy with authentic connection.

The Scale of the Spam Problem

According to a new survey from privacy company Cloaked, the Robocall Privacy Tradeoff Report, robocalls are having a significant impact on how Americans share their phone number, especially when it comes to dating. Based on a survey of 1000 Americans interviewed throughout June of this year, the average person receives 16 spam calls and 9 spam texts per month. Robocalls remain the most irritating form of unwanted contact, cited by 58% of respondents.

On its own, this would simply be an annoyance, but the prevalence of spam has led to more and more users refusing to share their number even when it hampers their social and dating opportunities. The survey found that privacy concerns are causing many users to limit sharing their real phone numbers. More than half (55%) refuse to provide their actual number on social media.

On dating apps specifically, 30% of respondents said they avoid sharing their real phone number.

On dating apps specifically, 30% of respondents said they avoid sharing their real phone number. This figure is higher than for online shopping (33%) but lower than for rewards programs in some contexts. The research suggests that concerns extend beyond simple privacy.

Missing Important Connections

Around 66% of Americans said they have missed an important call because they ignored an unknown number, while one-third reported missing calls from doctors, hospitals or healthcare providers due to spam avoidance. Nearly eight in ten respondents said they rarely or never answer calls from unfamiliar numbers. This can, naturally, include calls they are getting from dating profiles or other social platforms too.

While robocalls remain the biggest annoyance, respondents identified phishing emails as the most convincing form of online scam and the type they are most likely to engage with accidentally. Social media direct messages ranked second, followed by spam text messages. However, in terms of direct impact on daily life, robocalls and other spam calls appear to cause the most disruption.

Privacy vs. Convenience

The survey also examined whether consumers would sacrifice some privacy in exchange for fewer spam calls. Just 36% said they would allow their mobile carrier to share their identity with a federal database if it reduced spam calls by 80%. Even if the reduction increased to 95%, one in four respondents said they still would not agree to share additional personal information.

With the dating market shifting towards authenticity as more users lose interest in abstracted swiping systems, sharing phone numbers might become a more prominent form of connection for newly-matched singles.

With the dating market shifting towards authenticity as more users lose interest in abstracted swiping systems, sharing phone numbers might become a more prominent form of connection for newly-matched singles. However, this may in turn lead to platforms being ignored if they don't provide proper protection and security features to stop those numbers from being bombarded with spam. This means that privacy is becoming an increasingly important factor in how users choose to connect.