Technology

Dating app Bumble introduced a new update for its “unmatch” feature to help prevent bad actors from trying to hide on the app.

According to Tech Crunch, this new feature is a safety upgrade for users who want to report abusers on the app. Before, it was easy for a user leaving abusive messages to hide from their match by pressing the unmatch option, because the conversation thread would disappear from both users’ message history. This made it harder for people to report abuse on the app – there was no digital trail.

The Meet Group has announced that it has added a 3D face authentication-powered verification badge to its platforms. The new badge will use AI technology in authenticating that the account belongs to a real person.

The activation process begins when a user chooses the badge, prompting them to take a selfie in that moment. The AI software from FaceTec then scans and confirms the authenticity of the selfie to “confirm the user’s physical living presence, and perform age estimation” according to Mobile ID World. This is a strategy to prevent underage users and those who engage in catfishing with fake profiles from using the app.

Dating app Match has debuted a new feature called Vibe Check in April, allowing users to connect instantly via in-app video chat.

The Vibe Check icon appears when two people like one another or start messaging each other and after each agrees to the terms and conditions of Vibe Check, according to Match. When they are in the messaging center, they can select the video icon on the top right corner of the screen, which gives them the option of starting a live video chat with that match right away. Their match can either accept the invitation and begin chatting, or they can decline if it’s not a good time. 

Campaign staffers working for Democratic candidates were warned this week that they could be targeted by bad actors through dating apps. According to CNN who broke the story, the staffers were told to “swipe carefully” because any personal information they share through profiles, photos, or even their messages could be hacked in order to get information on them or their campaigns.

"We're received reports that opposition groups may be trying to 'sting' or infiltrate Democratic campaigns or organizations through dating sites," the warning read.

Popular dating app Hinge crashed on a Thursday late in August, and when users were once again able to log in, they found that some of their matches were gone. Many took to Twitter to voice their complaints.

The app crashed Thursday morning August 20th according to Insider, and the Hinge team worked to fix the problem and make it available again only 30 minutes later. However, when people began to log back in, some noticed problems – especially that their matches were no longer appearing in their queue.

Tinder Split Screen Video Chat

Image: Tinder

Popular dating app Tinder launched its new in-app video chat feature in early July called Face to Face, but only in select markets.

Face to Face users have access to video call each other through the dating app and avoid exchanging personal numbers, which is a good step for overall user security. There are a few other privacy measures that Tinder is including in the rollout – namely that two people have to agree to a video chat before it can actually happen, according to The Verge.