Online dating apps have tapped into the primal dopamine (or some brain chemical) rush and need for acceptance in a way no other technology has. I think people become addicted to waiting to hear that tone that means 'you got a match' or 'you got a message' and it gives you a miniscule rush for a second-not unlike smoking a cigarette. Women seem particularly susceptible to trying to get 'likes' on social media so this kind of signal is a major draw for them. A lot of women aren't even on these apps to actually meet someone face to face-they just want validation from afar.
I kind of got hooked on that because it becomes habit forming to scroll through a bunch of profiles, pick a few, hope for the best to get 'approved' by someone who allegedly likes you back. You can spend a lot of time screwing off on those sites but it's easy to convince yourself it's not wasted time. Once you shitcan those apps you realize how much weight that constant judgement puts on your self esteem. It's not healthy.