Tinder is collaborating with the not-for-profit organization Centre for Social Research (CSR) to enhance safety for online daters in India. The leading dating app announced the same on Sunday. It is a first-of-its-kind dating safety guide launched by the company.
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Know about the safety guide
There are 15 safety features already available on the app. The latest safety guide is presented as a part of the company’s efforts to ensure its users’ safety additionally. Tinder aims to rank user safety at the top, especially surrounding the concerns related to violence against women and technology.
Tinder users shall be prompted through an in-app message to access the “Dating Safety Guideline”. Aahana Dhar, Tinder India Communications Director, said, “Initial interactions set the tone of a relationship, and this guide can play an important role in supporting anyone on their dating journey, including the millions of daters who turned 18 and chose Tinder for their first dating experience.”
The app wants to encourage users to engage using the guide and take advantage of the many in-app features that have safety. Tinder algorithm uses machine learning to tip-off dangerous or harmful words in chats.
Dhar said, “We created ML-based features such as ‘Does This Bother You? (DTBY?)’ and ‘Are You Sure? (AYS?)’, which encourages members to report inappropriate conversation and take action against members who choose to break the rules.”
Since, more than 50% of Tinder users are between 18 and 25 years of age, they are new to dating experiences understandably. Thus, this partnership between Tinder and CSR emphasizes the former’s pledge to ensure a respectful and safe environment for people on its platform.
Memberships
Tinder offers both paid and free options for its patrons. Dhar said people can “left swipe” to leave or “right swipe” if they find their match. However, chatting is only possible if both sides swipe right.
Dhar stated, “So when women come across something suspicious or when someone crosses the line, we want them to let us know and encourage them to unmatch and/or report anyone that breaches our terms,” to address privacy concerns of users.
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A safe have for transgender community
She also said, “Dating apps are increasingly becoming a space where young adults feel comfortable expressing their gender and sexuality, compared to their offline interactions with friends and family. 54 per cent of young LGBTQIA daters in India have ‘come out’ on a dating app before doing so in real life,” implying the app is a safe haven for the transgender community as well.
Aahana said further, “Seven out of 10 young daters in India agreed that dating apps provide a platform for more freedom and self-exploration and have helped dismantle stereotypes and expectations surrounding gender, sex, and relationships,” Dhar said.
Users can also hide their sexual orientation using a specific feature if they choose to. This is especially to be done when travelling to a location where their dating preferences may not be legally viable.
Different from matrimonial sites
Dhar said Tinder has a different approach in comparison with matrimonial sites as it does not “tell people who they should be attracted to or how they should interact, as long as there is consent and individuals are aware of their options to remove themselves from an uncomfortable situation.”
Suggested read: All About The Tinder Safety Centre Launch
Tinder, a subsidiary of The Match Group, has grown exponentially in 10 years from being available in one country in one language to over 45 languages in 190 countries.
