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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.   

Google has revealed that searches for dating content have reached a five-year high, thanks in part to the growing interest in dating apps during the pandemic.

According to a report from NPR, the most popular dating search term, at least in the Washington D.C. area, was “how to date,” indicating that people are gearing up for meeting in-person again after a year and a half of lockdowns. Searches for “top dating apps 2021” also exploded 3400 percent over the last month, and “dating apps for older people” rocketed up 3500 percent. 

Dana Balch, a spokesperson for Tinder, told NPR that the app has seen some of its highest swiping days in the spring, when daters were gearing up for what was dubbed a ‘Hot Vax Summer.’ "I think this is really coming from a place where people want to connect with others during a time when they've felt isolated," she told NPR.

Dating app Tinder is expanding its original content, partnering with Netflix India to produce a new reality dating series.

According to Variety, the show IRL: In Real Love, will take place in India and is produced by Monozygotic. It caters to the country’s growing younger population who are single and have become avid users of dating apps. 

There will be an in-app casting call – so instead of aspiring actors there will be real Tinder singles to star in the series. Promotional swipe cards will appear as users sift through potential matches, allowing them to swipe right to be directed to a registration page to try and become a cast member.

Dating conglomerate Match Group was ordered to pay $2 million USD to settle a civil lawsuit filed by Santa Cruz County involving the company’s practices when it comes to automatic renewals. Match Group app users complained of a confusing and difficult process when they wanted to terminate their accounts and were often unaware when the company automatically renewed their membership without notifying or asking them to do so.

According to The San Diego Union Tribune, the settlement was signed by a Santa Cruz Superior Court Judge in early July, and the company was ordered to pay civil penalties and victim restitution that amounted to $2 million. Match Group has also been ordered to change its renewal and termination processes to make them more transparent to customers, including getting consent from users via a checkbox before automatically renewing their subscriptions, and emailing customers confirmations of transactions.

“Consumers should be protected from practices that deceptively and unfairly force them to pay for something they don’t want,” L.A. District Attorney Gascón told Canyon News. “We want companies to thrive, but they should be mindful to not abuse technology tools to violate consumer protections.”

TikTok and Twitter users are posting profiles of closeted Olympic athletes who are discreetly using Grindr while they compete in Tokyo for the 2021 Olympics, raising alarm among LGBTQ+ communities.

Some of the athletes who have been highlighted have not come out as gay, while at least one comes from a country where same-sex sexual relations are illegal, putting them in danger. According to a report from Insider, there are other risks as well because the Olympics are taking place in Tokyo, and Amnesty International has said it’s a culture that “systemically discriminates against gay people.”

The social media users are logging on to the Grindr app and using its “explore” feature to find profiles of athletes in the Olympic Village. When they find an athlete, they take screenshots and video, zooming in on their photos and posting them without the athletes’ consent or knowledge. So far, ten profiles have been posted to Twitter and four to TikTok, with one post gaining at least 140,000 views according to Insider.

Tinder has noticed a popular trend emerging in the past week – users from around the world are changing their location to match with athletes staying in Olympic Village.

Tinder’s popular Passport feature was made available to all users at no cost for limited times during pandemic lockdowns, and many members took advantage. Passport allows users to switch locations to match with anyone in the world, regardless of where they currently live. And recently, Tinder users began changing their location to match with athletes participating in the Olympics.

There’s no current tally of the number of Tinder users setting their romantic sights on 2021 Olympic athletes, but referencing 2018 numbers, Tinder confirmed to Newsweek that there was an increase of 1,850 percent of users accessing Passport to match with athletes in the Olympic Village.