Rav Shlomo Amar, Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, spoke out against marriage proposals.

Yes, Rabbi Amar wants people to get married. he is not against people going on shidduchim and deciding to get married. Rav Amar is opposed to the "marriage proposal".

According to Rav Amar, this is a recent trend. It used to be the parents would speak and close the deal and all was good. But a new thing has crept in, even among the haredim and among yeshiva bochurim (though not true ones), and they get baloons and other stupidities and propose. Sometimes it might even cause a halachic problem is certain words are said and other people are present witnessing it. This is hefkerus, degrading. "woe tot hem" Rav Amar said, as he said their craziness has no limits. Religious people should do this? People who keep mitzvos?

Rav Amar wants the Roshei Yeshiva to put a stop to it and prohibit their students from doing such proposals.
source: Kikar

Far be it from me to argue with Rav Amar. I see some of these proposals and they do seem to be out of hand and silly. I am just surprised that Rav Amar is only discovering it now and thinks it is a recent trend. it has been going on for years.