Tinder has added a panic button and increased safety features to tackle “catfishing”.
By Aaliyah Harris
Last year, the popular dating app made $1.2 billion in revenue as it became a social media hit among millennials.
Swiping for love may seem simple but the app has received backlash for its lack of safeguards.
Match Group owns some of the most established online dating services.
According to ProPublica there are, “Screens for sexual predators on Match — but not on Tinder, OkCupid or PlentyofFish.
A spokesperson said, “There are definitely registered sex offenders on our free products.”
Since 2019, sex attacks have risen through using online dating apps in the UK. Many app swipers are careless of the risks from meeting online strangers. Despite this, some of the biggest dating apps used by young people are not up to par with protecting users.
Tinder has introduced emergency assistance, location tracking and photo verification in the US but has yet to announce if these changes will reach the UK.
Although this is positive, it raises questions as to whether people should be taking online dating more seriously or if traditional methods of finding a partner will always be safer.