New Study Shows Dating App Users Remain Concerned About Security

A new study from Pew found that almost half of dating app users still have concerns about safety and security, even as popular apps are starting to address these concerns with features like background checks.

According to the study, 46 percent of Americans view dating apps to be unsafe, for three main reasons. They are primarily concerned with other app users lying and misrepresenting themselves, as well as with people who set up spam accounts. They are also concerned about receiving unsolicited explicit messages or photos, all pervasive problems.

Apps have begun to address these issues. Tinder launched a background checks feature in recent months so users could check out matches before agreeing to meet. Dating conglomerate The Meet Group debuted face verification badges that are powered by AI technology, so that users could offer verified profiles. Bumble also debuted a new feature that uses AI technology to blur unsolicited photos that contain graphic and lude images, so its members don’t have to see the photos in order to report them.   

Fake profiles have been an ongoing issue for dating apps, where despite adding protocols for identity verification, gaps in security remain that allow people to set up fake accounts. Some experts wonder if dating apps could be doing more to curb these problems and the proliferation of fake profiles on dating apps, especially since many of these companies rely on subscriber and user numbers to raise investor money and sell advertising space.

According to an article in Forbes, app security firm RealMe and research firm Global Dating Insights also partnered to survey dating app industry folks and see how they felt about the apps they promote, and whether security efforts have been helpful. The majority say that scams and security issues are only increasing as more people join dating apps, especially over the past year.

Charly Lester, RealMe’s Industry Dating Expert told Forbes: “We found that 63% of dating app insiders believe the risk of scams and fraud in online dating is increasing and that more than half admitted they could be doing more to protect their users from scammers and catfishing.”

The FTC confirmed that while dating apps set records in user activity and subscription numbers in 2020, scammers also reaped benefits. Reported losses from dating app scams totaled $304 million, up 50 percent from 2019.

Still, it seems dating app companies are determined to address the problem in a more substantial way. Lester also told Forbes: “We asked executives and insiders to rank their top priority areas of 2021 and the number one priority was user safety and security. This ranked ahead of business growth, increased downloads, customer loyalty, and brand awareness.”