Browser Dating, a new experimental platform created by Belgian artist Dries Depoorter, matches singles based on their browser histories rather than curated profiles. Users upload up to 5,000 recent searches, which AI transforms into “browsing personality profiles” for compatibility matching, challenging the heavily curated nature of modern dating apps with radical transparency about users’ private online behaviors.
What you should know: Browser Dating requires users to share their complete recent search history through a Chrome or Firefox extension, creating matches based on genuine internet behavior rather than self-selected profile information.
- Users download an extension to export and upload their browser history, with profiles showing basic demographics plus AI-generated browsing personality insights.
- Matches reveal “fun facts” about shared interests from search patterns rather than exposing the actual search history.
- The platform costs €9 for unlimited matches or offers five free matches, deliberately avoiding subscription models that exploit users.
Why this matters: The platform represents a provocative response to the authenticity crisis plaguing modern dating apps, where perfectly curated profiles often mask users’ true personalities and interests.
- According to Pew Research, 42 percent of US adults say online dating made finding partners easier, yet current platforms prioritize “the illusion of potential rather than the reality of who someone actually is.”
- Depoorter argues there’s “honesty” in browser history that reveals sides of people they’d never voluntarily share: “You’re not able to choose from your search history—you have to upload all of it.”
The artist behind it: Depoorter, 34, is known for digital art projects that interrogate surveillance, AI, and social media through “critical and humorous” approaches to technology’s possibilities.
- Previous works include “Jaywalking,” which turned surveillance feeds into video art, and “Die With Me,” a chatroom accessible only when phone battery drops below 5 percent.
- He developed the concept in 2016 during a workshop at V2, an experimental art center in Rotterdam, where participants shared a year’s worth of search history to explore unique connections.
- Despite his artistic background, Depoorter insists Browser Dating is “100 percent legit” and not a gimmick, though he acknowledges being “not a specialist” in dating.
Privacy and technical details: The platform addresses major privacy concerns through local AI processing and Google’s Firebase for secure data management.
- Browser history scanning covers up to 5,000 recent searches or several years of data, but cannot access Incognito mode sessions.
- “It’s not exposed to the internet,” Depoorter says of the AI processing, emphasizing data isn’t shared with other companies.
- Early technical issues included lagging email verification and profile deletion problems, which Depoorter says have been resolved.
Early reception: User reactions have been polarized, with fewer than 1,000 sign-ups since launch last week.
- Comments range from “Super weird” and “wildest idea” to praise for its “audacity” and privacy-focused approach.
- Some suggest the platform might work better for finding friends rather than romantic partners.
- Depoorter acknowledges the challenge: “Either people are fans of the idea or they are not. There is no convincing them.”
What’s next: Planned features include photo uploads, a dedicated communication app, and AI-powered first date location recommendations as Depoorter works to scale the platform beyond its experimental origins.
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