Tinder, one of the most popular and lucrative dating apps in the world, has changed an entire generations’ way of meeting a possible love interest for the night or the future, but is Tinder risky? 

A joint investigation by Four Corners and triple j Hack in Australia, exposes the potential dangers of the dating app Tinder and the ways this app provides sexual predators a platform for unlimited access to potential victims. Check out this important article and embedded video (link to video below) from Four Corners. This is a must for the dating app generation. Please share‼️😳

The joint investigation report in summary:

It is a challenge for victims to report sexual assaults to Tinder. If you can find a way by searching on-line, all you might get is an automated response with no serious follow up or feedback on whether or not the complaint was investigated by Tinder. Instead, you might find that the predator continues his presence on the dating app site. Four Corners further reports that after they interviewed several Tinder employees who wished to remain anonymous, the employees claimed that the company did not have sufficient staff or means to handle complaints. Yet, pursuant to the report, Tinder is the highest grossing non-gaming app in the world, with almost $2 Billion last year. It’s owner Match Group, has more than 2000 employees and owns many of the world’s popular dating apps, including 'Hinge,' 'Okc Cupid,' and 'Plenty of Fish.'

Tinder is free but encourages payment for alleged beneficial add-on features. During Covid, Four Corners reports that paid Tinder subscriptions increased 20% through June. If Tinder is highly profitable, how much is the company spending on consumer protections or safety features for its users and to help identify, locate and bring predators to justice?

What we found most alarming relates to Tinder’s “unmatch” feature. Originally, intended to help users block persons who make them uncomfortable, this feature is being used by predators to block victims and delete any trace of prior communications—which makes violators harder to find. Worse, completely banning bad actors from Tinder might prove difficult if they can simply change their IP addresses, re-subscribe under a different name, and continue their predatory behavior. Why has Tinder not been held accountable to make changes and to properly investigate complaints with transparency to help keep users more safe? 

Sexual assault and rape are devastating to the mental and overall health of women and according to Four Corners, Tinder is making it much easier for perpetrators to walk free. Tinder and other dating apps continue to increase in popularity, especially during these trying times of Covid-19, creating a growing and fertile landscape for sexual predators. Companies should not be profiting from the potential dangers of sexual assault and rape their platform may be posing.

Match Group is currently under investigation by the US Federal Trade Commission for using fake love interest ads to trick users in to paying for subscriptions. Click here for more detail on this joint investigation, including the video report which aired recently—link to video below. 

What will you do today to be #beupstanding and help #changetheculture for an environment without #sexualharassment, #abuse and #racism? #TimesUp. Let’s #playnice. For more info on   related issues, check out “Play Nice - Playground Rules for Respect in the Workplace,” and join us at www.thesandboxseries.com.