Safety

If you’ve ever used Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, or OkCupid, recent news may have raised some questions about your privacy and safety online. A cybersecurity incident involving Match Group has put user data into the spotlight and reminded all of us how important digital security is in the dating world.

How secure is your favorite dating app? According to a new study from the Business Digital Index, a staggering 75% of the 24 largest dating apps received a grade of D or F in cybersecurity—a mood-killer you didn’t swipe for.

Dating apps don’t just store your favorite selfies or witty first lines—they often hold deeply personal data: messages, orientation, even payment info. When security systems fail, the fallout can be devastating.

Dating app Hinge is taking payment processing for its app into its own hands, and out of the control of the App Store.

Hinge CEO Justin McLeod was recently interviewed on the Decoder podcast and said the company would like to introduce the new payment system by the end of the year.

This is big news for dating apps, and for developers in general who have litigated to bypass the monopoly-like hold Apple and Google have on their payment platforms. To make their apps available on the iOS App Store for users to download, Hinge has had to agree to giving a percentage of every purchase made by its users to Apple.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has issued a critical security alert for Americans using dating apps when traveling in Mexico due to several confirmed reports of kidnapping.

According to Newsweek, the Guadalajara Consulate confirmed reports of US citizens being kidnapped by people they met via dating apps, particularly in popular tourist destinations like the Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Nayarit areas.

"Victims and their family members in the United States have at times been extorted for large sums of money to secure their release," the security notice said.

Bumble appears to be matching its users with people they have already blocked, according to a report from Rolling Stone.

The app has come under fire after this practice came to light over social media. According to Rolling Stone, professor Jennie Young at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, who specializes in rhetoric and gender studies, shared a post on Instagram with a screenshot from Bumble’s support center after asking them why she was matching with users she previously blocked.

“Bumble will show you people you have swiped left/blocked on in the past — in case you have changed your mind,” the screenshot captured of Bumble's response.  

Two major online safety groups have partnered to create a new industry standard for online dating in the wake of reports that dating app companies aren’t taking needed steps to protect users on their platforms.

The Cyber Rights Organization (CRO) and Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA) joined forces to educate industry leaders in different areas of safety including human rights, data privacy, and best business practices, according to DatingNews.com. The ODDA sets guidelines for dating app companies and alerts them to potential risks, while the CRO is a watchdog, and protects people who are using dating platforms.

“The alliance between CRO and ODDA is driven by mutual commitment to user safety in the digital dating sphere,” the ODDA said, according to DatingNews.com.