#Roommates, if you’re a member of a dating app, chances are you’ve had a bad date or two—well, Tinder (one of the most popular dating apps) is now introducing a panic button feature for extra protection in case your date takes a dangerous turn.
@RollingStone reports, a new series of safety features are being introduced on Tinder, with the most note-worthy being a panic button, to better protect users if they feel unsafe during a date. The new features are set to arrive by the end of January and powered by security app Noonlight, which Tinder’s parent company, Match Group, recently purchased a stake in. The same safety features will also appear on Match Group’s other dating apps, such as OKCupid and PlentyOfFish.
The Noonlight security features for Tinder will begin with a profile badge, which allows users to log in certain details about their dates, including the time, location and information about the person they are meeting. Noonlight will then share this information with authorities if the alarm is triggered. Once it’s triggered, users will be asked to enter a code, if they don’t, a dispatcher will text them. If a user doesn’t respond to the text, they will receive a phone call and if the call is also ignored, emergency services will be alerted.
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It’s important to note that, for the alarm feature to work, users will have to allow their location to be tracked while on a date. However, Tinder stresses that user location data would not be sold to third-party affiliates or used for other marketing purposes.
Mandy Ginsberg, CEO of Match Group, had this to say of the new features:
“You should run a dating business as if you are a mom. I think a lot about safety, especially on our platforms, and what we can do to curtail bad behavior. There are a lot of things we tell users to do. But if we can provide tools on top of that, we should do that as well.”
Tinder also plans to debut new verification services to ensure that users actually look like their photos. The focus on safety comes after Tinder has faced intense criticism for not protecting users following multiple reports of murders and sexual assaults that have occurred through dates made through the app.
Roommates, what are your thoughts on this?
