The world’s largest dating app says protecting women from harassment is now “at the heart” of Tinder’s priorities.
The technology company has partnered with the No More (No More) organization to combat gender-based violence.
“Our work on security is never finished,” Renate Nyborg, Tinder’s first female CEO, told the BBC.
However, she described the measures taken by Tinder from the organization End Violence Against Women (Let’s End Violence Against Women) as a “small step” to address the disproportionate amount of abuse women face online.
Tinder has been widely criticized for the abuses women are subjected to through its service, and there are concerns that it is being used by sexual predators, among other similar practices.
Nyborg, 36, explained that one of the measures taken to prevent violence against women is to hire more women in the company.
The board of directors reported that the company’s female staff has increased by 30% since taking over the reins of the company in September 2021.
“I think there’s a difference between knowing something and experiencing it,” he told the BBC.
“Like any woman, I can tell you about all the experiences I’ve had with men that I don’t want to have: from the way they talk to you, the way they treat you, what they’ve been through. I think all women have had similar experiences, and I believe in unity,” she said.
Andrea Simon, director of End Violence Against Women, said it’s imperative that dating apps like Tinder take action to tackle abuse.
“Dating apps are a very popular way for people to meet each other,” he said, adding that “there are concerns that abusers and predators are using these apps to meet potential victims, which is leading to an increase in rape allegations against women.” Who uses these dating tools?
Simon welcomed Tinder’s new security features, but warned that they “didn’t go far enough to address threats of abuse and rape.”
“Tech companies like Tinder leverage a business model that ignores the abuses their services facilitate. It’s crucial that they guarantee the security of their users,” the activist said.
The partnership between Tinder and No More is expected to prevent abuse and threats against women through the dating app.
The alliance’s first move will be to produce a program to educate app users on safe dating.
No More will also train Tinder staff.
“We believe that positive relationships start with first contact. The way you interact with someone, literally from the very first message, can set the tone for relationships that last,” Nyborg said.
“It’s very important that Tinder makes sure it not only warns its users about bad behavior, but educates them,” Pamela Zaballa, managing director of No More, told the BBC.
“We understand the challenges women face – that’s the crux of what we do – but I think overall safety should be a top priority for Tinder, not just for women, but for everyone who uses the app,” she added. Zaballa.
Dating apps have no legal obligation to protect their users.
Tinder launched a number of security services last year. Thus, harassment and harmful messages are now automatically detected and senders are asked “Are you sure?” he is asked. (that you want to send an inappropriate text) and the recipients’ “Does this bother you?” (which you just received).
“We’ve seen a 50% increase in the number of people reporting their dislike,” Nyborg told the BBC.
Meanwhile, “Are you sure?” with data from Tinder, Match.com, Meetic, OkCupid, Hinge, and Match Group, owner of Plenty of Fish, helped reduce inappropriate messages by 10%.
“We have always invested in making our vehicles and technologies reliable and safe,” Nyborg said. Said.
But since I became CEO, we have started to make trust and security central to some of our advertising campaigns.”
In the US, Tinder’s security hub offers background checks for couples, thanks to its partnership with the Garbo organization.
The National Rape, Abuse and Incest Network has developed a way to report ex-offenders who appear on the match list.
Users can also use a panic button.
“We were very impressed with the acceptance of the validation,” Nyborg said.
“In the months it was running, we found that almost half of our affiliates were self-selecting to verify themselves – the good thing about it is that it’s a security feature,” the directive added.
But Derrian Douglas, a 24-year-old New Jersey native who met her boyfriend on Tinder, said the security features could have been better designed.
“Before I go on a date, I tell at least two friends where I’m going and I have a keyword with them. I also enable WhatsApp geolocation: it’s all a procedure,” he said.
An investigation by a BBC team for the documentary “The Dangerous Secrets of Three Datings” yielded the following statistics:
Dating coach Alexis Germany explained that many young women worry about meeting people in real life, “especially when they’re invited to ‘Netflix and chill’ and things like that.”
To ensure their safety, Germany has offered the following list of recommendations to users of Tinder and other dating apps:
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Source: Exame
