Tinder Debuts New Safety Features Including Incognito Mode
Contributed by: kellyseal on Tuesday, February 21 2023 @ 12:54 pm
Last modified on Tuesday, February 21 2023 @ 01:11 pm
Tinder unveiled several new safety features, including “Incognito Mode” where users can control their visibility as well as how they interact with others on the app. The new features were rolled out February 6th to coincide with Safer Internet Day.
According to Tech Crunch, “Incognito” is a bit more advanced than just being able to hide your profile – users who opt for this feature can still Like and Pass on potential matches, but only those they have “Liked” will be able to see them.
The new feature is available for paid subscribers for Tinder+, Gold and Platinum members only.
In addition to Incognito, the company’s new “Block Profile” feature debuted as well, giving users the option of dismissing certain profiles from returning in their searches. (Say you are scrolling and a relative, ex, or a work colleague or boss comes up in your search – you can block them using this feature so they don’t appear in the future.) This is a complement to the “Block Contacts” feature that lets users choose who from their contact list they don’t want to see as a potential match on the app.
Another new feature dubbed “Long Press Reporting” makes it easier for users to report bad behavior on the app. The feature allows a user to tap and hold an offensive message, according to Tech Crunch[*1] , which launches the reporting feature directly in the chats, so the user can report the offender more easily.
Long Press Reporting is likely in response to complaints Tinder and other dating apps have had from users, where they say the apps make it difficult to report offensive behavior, and therefore users don’t feel encouraged to take action.
In addition to these new features, Tinder has expanded some of its older safety features, including “Does This Bother You?” and “Are You Sure?” which are prompts that come up as a user is messaging a match, when language the app considers harmful is used. If a user is sending a text that seems offensive, the app will prompt them to reconsider with the “are you sure” prompt appearing. If a user receives a potentially offensive message, they are asked “does this bother you” to encourage them to report bad behavior. Now, the safety detection includes more potentially harmful words, emojis and phrases to alert users.
The app is highlighting these safety features to users through another new feature called Green Flags, which will guide them through these protections from setting up a profile all the way to meeting for a date.
“Over the years, we’ve been introducing safety in every step,” Kozoll told Tech Crunch. “From trying to understand the authenticity of our members and making sure members are being respectful towards each other. We see that whole journey as a place where we can help. And so today, we’re looking at the latest features in that evolution.”
For more about this dating app, you can read our Tinder review.