Right swipe with caution: Tinder to show new warnings to users

Dating app Tinder on Monday announced new warnings to provide additional guidance to users, inform them of inappropriate behaviour as well as offer an immediate opportunity to change their actions moving forward. The new warnings are classified into three categories: authenticity, respectfulness and inclusiveness. They cover in-app behaviour when engaging with other users, such as harassment, and protect users against advertising and impersonation. Also Read: Tinder launches new dating safety features in India

The new warnings are rolling out now and will be live globally in the coming weeks. Also Read: Tinder to launch 'high-end' membership, product refresh this fall

Tinder said that 53 percent of dating app users are under 30 years of age, while a majority of the users are aged between 18 to 25. The new warnings will help these users understand inappropriate behaviour so that they can continue swiping on the platform. There is no reward associated with heeding these warnings, however. In other words, you will not start getting more matches if you are maintaining the decorum on the platform. But if you are not paying attention to these warnings and continue to violate the platform’s guidelines, you may be penalised. Also Read: Tinder says removed about 5 million spam, bot accounts in Q1

Warnings will be served to users in-app within ‘messages’ from ‘Team Tinder’ with an explanation of what violation occurred, as well as broader information about expected behaviour and actions. When users receive a warning it will remain as a visible message that they cannot delete. Individual profiles are at risk of being removed if users continue to repeat the same violation, said the company.

Globally, online dating is now the most common way for singles to meet new people, with 53 percent of people under 30 using dating apps. “These warnings are designed to provide transparency and to alert users when they are not engaging in acceptable and respectful behaviour,” said Nicole Blumenfeld, VP of Trust and Safety Operations, at Tinder. “By providing greater transparency to users about their behaviour, not only are we enabling them to immediately ‘course correct’ but also foster a better experience for the wider Tinder community,” Blumenfeld added.

Tinder has been downloaded more than 530 million times and the app is available in 190 countries and more than 45 languages.

— Written with inputs from IANS