Tinder's New 'Share My Date' Feature Designed To Enhance Safety By Allowing Users To Share Date Details With Friends, Amidst Discussions On Privacy and The Need For Improved Safety Protocols In Dating Apps.
Tinder has recently unveiled a new safety initiative, the ‘share my date’ feature, aimed at bolstering user safety. This novel feature enables users to share critical details about their dates—such as location, time, and the photo of the match—with friends and loved ones, directly via the app. This development comes in response to research indicating that more than half of singles under the age of 30 already communicate their dating details to friends for safety reasons.
Cate Campbell, a seasoned sex, relationships, and trauma therapist, appreciates the new feature, noting its potential to enhance safety. However, she also expresses concerns about privacy, as the visibility of dating activities could deter some users. Campbell emphasizes the necessity for dating apps to provide users with robust mechanisms to report adverse experiences promptly and efficiently.
Emma Sayle, founder of several dating platforms including Killing Kittens, Wax, and SafeDate, alongside Campbell, discusses the existing safety features on major UK dating apps such as Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble. These platforms offer functionalities like the ability to report and block unwanted interactions and optional photo verification to ensure greater security for their users.
Despite these measures, experts argue that dating apps still have significant room for improvement, particularly in verification processes and user education. Sayle suggests that dating apps should not only focus on increasing user numbers but also enhance user safety through stringent verification processes. She advocates for a community-centric approach to online dating, emphasizing consent, boundaries, and respect.
Campbell shares that many users are not fully aware of or do not utilize the available safety features. She proposes that a mandatory safety video could be beneficial before users are allowed to engage with the app. Such initiatives could educate users on how to navigate dating apps safely, mitigating risks like rough sex, catfishing, and cyberflashing, which, according to her professional encounters, have become alarmingly common.