China Dating Apps Add Controversial Tracking Services

Several China-based dating apps have added location trackers as a premium feature to boost revenues, but it’s also boosting suspicions among users.

According to South China Morning Post, some of these features include real-time location tracking, daily check-ins with partners, and allowing your partner to check your phone usage. In theory, the idea is to increase transparency and build closer connections between partners, but in reality, the features are causing more tension between them.

Understandably, this trend has sparked controversy, especially among those who already have partners who are suspicious of their behavior. The features can be quite intrusive, including a subscription that allows mutual sharing of smartphone usage time, battery level, network status and screen unlock history. It is not clear how knowledge of these particular features contributes to improved relationships. In fact, they seem to be exacerbating existing problems in relationships.

The dating app companies however are finding success by offering the services to a new group of users: those already in relationships. They are collecting revenues through in-app paid premium features or via new paying subscribers. In addition, these apps are adding other complementary features to soften the tensions created by the apps (and increase revenue), including “make-up cards” that cost as much as 10 yuan ($1.40 U.S.), according to The Post.

Dating app users don’t seem to be happy with the tracking features. One user reported inaccurate data reports which led to further tensions in her relationship, according to the Post. After purchasing the tracking feature, she discovered the app had reported her movements outdoors when she hadn’t left her home, and added more than 1,500 steps in her daily step count when she wasn’t walking.

When she contacted the app’s service number, she was told the inaccurate reporting could be due to “weak GPS signals.” But in order to prove her innocence to her partner, she had to spend more than $110 USD on a third-party verification service to try and prove her innocence. She says that these types of tracking services are causing harm.

Many dating app users feel tracking features are “relationship surveillance” tools, and can be abused by users who are already suspicious or abusive towards their partners. The features can give them ammunition to create more tension and unnecessary drama. There is also the question of the government tracking and storing more personal data of its citizens.

Many argue that the benefit of these features favors the dating app companies, not the users.