Strangers on the Internet

Join Irina and Michelle as they talk to their first guest couple (and first male guest altogether) on the podcast! Northwestern University neuroscientist Prof. Talia Lerner did not think that a heavily tattooed former military sniper would be in her romantic future, and yet that is how the dating app process shook out in the end. Phillip Nightingale proved to be the interesting, open-minded, poetr...

Artificial intelligence (AI) chat bots have been all the rage in recent months. From concerns about academic plagiarism to questions about whether they may replace workers in many industries, the news has been abuzz with articles about platforms such as ChatGPT. Some chat bots specialize in particular areas, such as providing dating coaching! Irina and Michelle put several bots to the test to see...

Part 2 of this exclusive interview with bestselling author and award-winning journalist Nancy Jo Sales takes us deeper into the heart of what all the famous critic thinks is wrong with dating apps. Irina and Michelle discuss with her why she believes these apps are deeply embedded in frat boy culture and rape culture, as well as what role social media whisper networks play in protecting female app...

On this special first episode of season 2, Irina and Michelle welcome bestselling author, award-winning journalist, filmmaker and producer Nancy Jo Sales. A long-time critic of online dating and social media, Nancy Jo talks in part 1 of this interview about why dating app operators consider her such a thorn in their side, how dating apps are intentionally addictive, and why we see so much victim-b...

On this final episode of season 1, Irina and Michelle talk to divorce coach and journalist Amy Polacko. She tells her story of overcoming two divorces and being a happy, successful single mom and entrepreneur. Hear Amy's top advice on how to get over every sort of break-up and leave narcissistic abuse behind. How long should you wait to date again after a divorce or break-up? If you're a parent, w...

In part 2 of this exclusive interview, Irina and Michelle continue their conversation with Tinder Swindler celebrity victim Cecilie Fjellhøy. Find out what fraudster Simon Leviev is up to these days (spoiler: it involves additional alleged crimes). In this episode, your hosts also delve into the details of where international law enforcement went wrong so far, but why Cecilie thinks that Simon's d...

In this exclusive interview, Irina and Michelle sit down with Tinder Swindler celebrity victim Cecilie Fjellhøy. See what the London-based Norwegian IT consultant has to say about swindler Simon Leviev and the continued battles to bring him to justice, her and his current dating status, life after starring in Netflix's most-watched documentary of all time, her experiences with British law enforcem...

As hard as it may be to believe, the mainstream swiping era recently turned a decade old. Irina and Michelle discuss how dating has changed during that time, as has their own perspective on it. The Dating Professors review some of the recent popular writings on the topic of ten years of Tinder, including on the issue of burnout. The Dating Professors cover how apps have gamified dating and how som...

In this episode, in which Irina and Michelle host Midwestern graduate student Lisa (a pseudonym), the focus of the conversation is on physical safety. Lisa shares her experiences with being stalked, owning a gun, conducting background checks before every date, and having to take out restraining orders. Find out how people who lie about their age on dating apps sometimes do so for much more nefario...

Irina and Michelle welcome a special guest from Louisiana on this episode: disability law scholar Katherine Macfarlane. Kat has navigated dating, marriage, divorce, and then dating again with an invisible condition. How have significant others reacted when she has needed accommodations for her lifelong rheumatoid arthritis? And what's it been like dating (and when need be, breaking up) as an immun...

In this guest episode, Irina and Michelle have the chance to sit down with Californian criminal law professor Erin Sheley who found love (and indeed, a fiance) on Bumble after dating app adventures across North America. While last time we had Catgate, this week's episode brings us Fishgate: this vegetarian scholar and her avid fisherman date from the apps did NOT see eye to eye when it comes to ho...

Irina and Michelle talk to British philosophy professor, life coach, Twitter favorite, and host of "The Academic Imperfectionist" podcast Dr. Rebecca Roache. A self-described introvert, Rebecca is of two minds about dating apps these days. Should she bother meeting new men or comfortably stay home, knit, and hang out with her kids and cats? And speaking of cats, come hear about "Catgate", the inci...

After covering how to enter a romantic relationship in the modern era, Irina and Michelle now delve into how to make it a successful one. How do you apply the Golden Rule (treat others like you would want to be treated) in a relationship? Even better, how do you upgrade to the Platinum Rule (treat others like THEY want to be treated)? Is the idea of the Five Love Languages just a scam or can you u...

In this episode, Irina and Michelle scour the Interwebs for recent dating advice and critique what they find. Will that article in The Cut teach you about whether you're too picky on dating apps? What about the pearls of wisdom in those (in)famous advice listicles? The Dating Professors go through the good, bad, and ugly of these pointers and show YOU how some of them definitely point in the wrong...

In this episode, the Dating Professors teach you a thing or two about how not to fall for a narcissist. Irina and Michelle explain why narcissists may seem particularly attractive at first, what makes love bombing so powerful, and how to break the narcissist's cycle of idealization and devaluation. Resist becoming narcissistic supply and get rid of energy vampires whose lies and manipulations will...

In this episode, Irina and Michelle return for part 2 of their conversation with catfishing victims Anna Rowe and Jennifer. At the end of part 1, we had left off with Anna realizing that she had been catfished and collecting clues to uncover the perpetrator's true identity. After triangulating his work location near a small airport, she jumped in the car to begin what would turn into a multi-year...

On the podcast's first-ever guest episode, Irina and Michelle talk to two women whose existence was turned upside down by male catfish from dating apps. British teaching assistant turned international anti-catfishing activist Anna Rowe thought that Antony Ray was the perfect mate. How the unassuming mother of two put Sherlock Holmes to shame in her hot pursuit of his real identity and how she got...

It's time actually to go out with some of the people from the apps! The Dating Professors tell you about the best settings for first dates, and how to stay safe while enjoying yourself. Should you Google your date before meeting up? Is it ever okay to ghost someone? What's even the goal of a first date? Irina and Michelle answer the most pressing questions about what happens when you go from virtu...

How should you talk to strangers on dating apps about whom you know next to nothing? Should men always approach women first? What happens when you start by just saying "hi" to someone? Irina and Michelle are your guides to figuring out the best early interactions for YOU. You will hear about how Irina impressed her now-husband with her thorough response to his four-bullet-point text and how Michel...

Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, OKCupid, and all the others - so many decisions and so little time! Irina and Michelle walk you through how to choose the best dating app for YOU. Even more importantly, they discuss how you should select your app pictures and write a genuine and attractive profile text. Plus, what should you look out for in other people's profiles when swiping? What does a guy mean when he...

In this pilot episode, Irina and Michelle share their own histories with online dating. They teach you what all YOU should consider before jumping into the app world. How do you know you're ready for dating after a break-up? What kind of expectations do you have from the process? For those back in the game after a long absence, how has the dating world changed since Tinder and other apps came on t...