So recently the trend is to tell men who find no success with the apps to do this, ignoring the fact that for about 15 years young men have grown up being told the opposite. Situations that used to normal to find dates in previous generations have been off-limits for a while now. That includes social spaces like bars, clubs, events etc.   They themselves have zero need to read rooms/cues and whatever complex mix of subtext and body language counts as ‘consent’ to interest.

Advice on how/when to approach from people who don't have to is already of dubious value, but most of the women saying this are aware of the atmosphere young men exist in even if they're not actively contributing to it.

And just to be clear with what I mean here, approaching and trying to spark up a conversation with a woman who isn’t interested is a hair’s breadth away from violence according to some of the same people who browbeat young men for not knowing how to do it.

'Keeping it online’ is just a self-preservation strategy for men who take notice.