Match Group

Image: Tinder

Tinder has announced a new safety feature for those in the LGBTQ community who are traveling abroad.

The new “Traveler Alert” feature allows users to hide their profiles on the app when they feel unsafe traveling in countries and regions that criminalize same-sex acts, according to website Lifehacker. International travelers are subject to the laws of other countries, so it puts LGBTQ folks especially at risk. There are currently 69 countries that persecute same-sex acts, and nine of these allow the death penalty to be imposed, including Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Tinder’s website stated: “It’s important to exercise extra caution if you choose to connect with new people in these countries - as some law enforcement have been known to use dating apps as tools for potential entrapment. Some countries have also recently introduced laws that criminalize communications between individuals on same-sex dating applications or websites and even aggravate penalties if that communication leads to sexual encounters.”

Image: Rock The Vote

Popular dating app Hinge has announced its partnership with activist organization Rock the Vote in anticipation of the 2020 Presidential election, according to The Hill.

Capitalizing on the high-profile press the company received when Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg revealed that he’d met his husband Chasten on the app, Hinge has decided to throw its app in the political ring.

With the proliferation of retouching apps like Facetune and “pretty” filters on Snapchat and Instagram, we have constant access to an idealized image of ourselves. It’s easy to imagine what we might look like with cosmetic tweaks - a little filler here, a little Botox there, resculpt the nose and suction out that stubborn pocket of fat that no amount of diet or exercise can get rid of.

A new study published in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery finds that social media and online dating aren’t just changing how we want to look in the digital realm. They might also have an effect on our openness to changing our appearance in the real world.

Tinder Lite on Google Play

Tinder has unveiled its new streamlined app after announcing its debut earlier this year. Tinder Lite will be available as a separate app for Android phones and can be purchased through Google Play.

The new Lite app was designed specifically for users in countries and regions where Internet connectivity is slow and most people have lower-cost phones. According to Tinder CEO Elie Seidman, who spoke at the 2019 Rise Tech conference in Hong Kong in mid-July, the new app “would run faster, consume less battery and reduce network usage by about 20 percent,” as reported by The Jakarta Post.

Dating app Tinder has a hook-up reputation – and because of this, users in more conservative countries in Asia might be hesitant to try the app. In response, Tinder is revamping its image to maintain its growth streak.

Dating app growth overall has slowed in the U.S. as the market becomes saturated, and it is expected to slow even more through 2022. In order to expand its opportunities, Match Group – Tinder’s parent company, has put a lot of resources into the Asian market, including hiring key executives to oversee the region and advertising its suite of apps.

People Media (who is owned by Match Group) has decided to merge their two senior dating services into one. The services are SeniorPeopleMeet and OurTime. This process has been well on its way for a while now since both websites and apps were already the same (features, user interface, etc...) except for the name and color scheme.

When you visit SeniorPeopleMeet.com a message is now displayed explaining the merger. SeniorPeopleMeet user database which includes profiles, messages, and photos will all be transferred over to OurTime. SeniorPeopleMeet users just have to visit OurTime.com and use their existing SeniorPeopleMeet username and password to log in.