Is flirting dying? The apps appear to have swallowed the most delicate and delicious of human interactions

‘Turns out, courtship and coming-of-age rituals are not instinctive prompts of nature but subtle and learned behaviours developed through practice and observation.’ Photograph: Mirrorpix/Getty Images

Is flirting dying? Yes, claims a preternaturally cynical 24-year-old Los Angelean interviewed by NBC News in the US earlier this month. “If someone thinks you’re cute, they just ask for your Instagram these days and then DM you or swipe up on your story to show they’re interested,” they told the journalist. It was a bold claim, seemingly made out of frustration, and in the specific context of the youngster’s renegade dating choice:

They prefer to meet people in person.