Was hoping there'd be an answer somewhere in this to the title question. Feeling misled xD I think it's a matter of openness on both parts? Maybe? I know many girls my age who are abhorred by the idea of a guy chatting them up or asking for their phone number IRL. What a creep! It doesn't go very far explaining that was the norm only a brief while ago. So I think this impacts guys - why approach a woman IRL if you're unlikely to be successful, risk in-person rejection and be labeled a "creep" when you could hide behind a screen, instead?

Us women contribute to it too, burying our heads in our phones and giving cold shoulders to any man who'll meet our eye. So if we tone that down and guys maybe work up a bit of courage...maybe... Hey, one's gotta hold out hope. :D I do see (like you mentioned here) more and more young people losing hope in the apps, so maybe a turn-around is coming?