Singapore launches dating service for civil servants to address falling birth rate

Singapore, grappling with declining marriage and fertility rates, has launched a dating service called "FirstDates" for government employees.

Unveiled on Tuesday, the service targets employees aged 21 to 35. Run by the government technology agency GovTech, it requires users to log in via Singpass.

Users must then fill in details about their interests, habits, values, religious preferences and relationship deal-breakers. Rather than offering many options, the system aims to show a limited number of matched individuals, reducing the fatigue of repeated swiping common on dating apps.

Under the setup, profiles are shown only to matched individuals, and users themselves decide whether to share contact details. After a meeting, users can share their experience through a star rating and optional feedback.