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NSW, Australia’s police force, was in talks with Match Group about new safety proposals to address sexual assault among daters that meet over the company’s apps, but Match Group has so far rejected implementing them.

The proposals from NSW could pose challenges regarding user privacy. The policing agency suggested using AI to scan conversations between users for potential red flags according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). NSW also proposed a portal for police to access any reports of sexual assault sent to Match Group’s dating apps. 

"We recognize we have an important role to play in helping prevent sexual assault and harassment in communities around the world,” Match Group said in a statement. "We are committed to ongoing discussions and collaboration with global partners in law enforcement and with leading sexual assault organizations like RAINN to help make our platforms and communities safer.”

Match Group testified in front of the U.S. Senate recently, arguing that tech giants Apple and Google are allowing underage users to access its dating apps.

Underage users have been able to download dating apps with age restrictions even while signed into their Apple or Google accounts, simply by clicking “yes” on a pop-up verification notice that asks if they are 18 or older. Neither Apple nor Google cross-checks the verification with their own data, and neither has set up a process to prevent these users from accessing the apps beyond the pop-up notice. 

Match Group’s chief legal officer Jared Sine testified on April 21st, according to Bloomberg News, saying that Apple and Google are allowing people under 18 years of age to download their dating apps despite the age restrictions. According to Sine, these companies are aware of the problem and ignoring it anyway; and they refuse to share personal user data with Match Group to address it.

China-based gay dating app Blued announced that it has obtained an Internet Hospital license to offer men’s health services to its users.

BlueCity, which owns Blued, created its own online health information platform He Health in 2019 to elevate awareness of HIV and its prevention among the app’s users. The health portal will now be rebranded as He Health Internet Hospital, and in addition to providing information and consultations, the online hospital will sell HIV diagnostic kits and work with local authorities to offer testing centers around China. 

Under the new license, doctors and medical professionals will also be able to offer advice and expertise to patients directly through the dating app’s platform. Instead of turning to third party apps for this kind of service, Blued users can feel safer and more confident talking directly with doctors over the dating app about sensitive issues like erectile dysfunction, HIV testing and prevention, and access to prescription medications, according to news website Pan Daily.

Tinder has announced a partnership with language learning platform Duolingo to offer lessons to its users and bridge the language barrier gap for long-distance dates.

The Match Group dating app has offered to give 100,000 users a free month of Duolingo Plus, an online service which offers lessons in multiple languages. According to Tinder, 76 percent of its users who wanted to match with people from other countries found that they were matching with dates who spoke languages other than their own, a barrier to connection. Tinder saw an opportunity to help them with Duolingo.

Facebook is testing a new virtual speed dating app called Sparked, an alternative to the swiping and messaging process of traditional dating apps.

Facebook describes the app as “video dating with kind people,” setting the tone for its users and to differentiate itself from other apps. The company also says that Sparked does not require its users to set up public profiles, and there’s no swiping or DMs - a departure from traditional dating apps. 

Instead, Sparked will provide a list of virtual speed dating events in different cities that users can join, according to The Verge. Once they do, they will begin the speed dating process and each date will last about four minutes. At the end of each mini-date, Sparked will ask how each person felt about the date. If they both agree that they had a “great time,” they’ll be scheduled for a second, ten-minute date. After the second date, if the couple wants to exchange information to stay in touch, they can do so themselves through Instagram, iMessage or email.

Dating app Grindr announced the premiere of its new comedy special called Gag Reflex, featuring a lineup of up-and-coming LGBTQ comedians, who share stories of dating and the queer experience.

The special originally aired as a livestream on April 1st on YouTube and the Grindr app, and is now available to watch anytime on YouTube. According to Variety, the featured comedians include Joel Kim Booster (NBC’s Sunnyside, Hulu’s Shrill), Sydnee Washington (Broad City), Jay Jurden (The Tonight Show), Jaye McBride and Zach Zimmerman.