To critically assess existing literature, we use the mediation framework proposed by Lievrouw ( 2014). Given the novelty of this field and the current lack of an overview, in this paper, we provide a thematic review of gay dating app studies. Except for this strand, however, other literatures on gay dating apps do not form a direct dialogue. This strand-to which researchers from Northwestern University in the United States (NU Social Media Lab) has contributed greatly-focuses on how users present themselves on their profiles and interact with each other through private chat (Birnholtz, Fitzpatrick, Handel, & Brubaker, 2014 Blackwell, Birnholtz, & Abbott, 2015 Chan, 2016 Fitzpatrick & Birnholtz, 2016 Licoppe, Rivière, & Morel, 2015). There is a relatively clear research strand marked by self-presentation and interaction frameworks.

Nevertheless, even within our narrowed scope, these studies draw on various theories, which makes it hard to tell a coherent story. Specifically focused on the dynamics between communication technologies and society, this article reviews studies that highlight communicative practices and social relations mediated by dating apps, rather than the correlation between dating app use and sexual risk practices that concerns HIV prevention researchers. Accordingly, literature on gay dating apps is generated in different disciplines, namely, sociology and psychology, and in different fields, such as communication studies, gender studies, and HIV prevention studies. To study these apps and their uses, researchers have adopted distinct approaches. Dating apps designed for gay men, or more broadly, men who have sex with men (MSM), such as Grindr, Scruff, and Jack'd, have become an object of study for social science researchers. The academic world has expressed interest in the increasing prevalence of dating apps. Unlike traditional dating sites, dating apps seem to reduce the time for getting a match unlike Facebook, dating apps bring strangers together. These apps allow users to create profiles to present themselves and interact with each other to reach multiple goals, such as casual sex, dating, or networking. Recent years have seen a surge in gay men's use of mobile dating applications or “dating apps.” Running on smartphones and working with GPS, dating apps connect users to others in close geographic proximity and often in real time.

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