Love is in the cloud: Uncovering the factors driving continuous use intention of online dating applications

Abstract

Romance has never felt the same way since the inception of online dating. A match is made not in Heaven but in the Cloud. Swiping profiles could sweep someone’s feet off. This work aims to assess the factors predicting the continuous use intention of online dating applications among young Malaysians through the lens of the UTAUT2 model and privacy risk. The research model was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling per 282 valid responses from online daters in Malaysia. The results indicate the model’s substantial predictive power with social influence, price value, and habit as significant drivers to continuous use intention of online dating applications. Habit has the strongest effect on the intention to use online dating applications continuously. This research adds to the body of knowledge on the behavioral intention of online dating applications and offers practical suggestions for online dating service providers to increase the likelihood of their continuous adoption.

Keywords

• online dating application
• UTAUT2
• privacy risk
• technology adoption
• Malaysia