Dating apps: swiping right should be made safer

Right now, 7 in 10 people who use dating apps have reported being subjected to online sexual violence and abuse on the platforms. With over 3 million users in Australia dating apps present threats to women’s safety and wellbeing both online and in-person.

There are significant issues with the safety of these platforms:

  • Around half of survivors who experienced in-person sexual violence saying they were unable to report their abuser as they had been unmatched or the profile had been deleted. 
  • Of the people who had experience online harassment, 40.9% of them said they had been sent a sexual image they did not ask for.

Companies such as Match Group, that own Tinder and Hinge, could be taking action to address these issues by implementing ‘Safety by Design’ technology. This needs to include options to report even if you have been unmatched, safeguards to prevent image based abuse, and so much more. 

These companies profit off people using their service to seek connection. But together, we can use our power to demand they step up their safety and wellbeing protections.

Can you sign your support to make dating apps safer for everyone who uses them?

To Tinder, Hinge and all dating app companies, 

Your organisation supports people to seek connection and love through using your dating app services. However, a 2022 report showed that 7 in 10 dating app users in Australia have experienced at least one form of online sexual violence or abuse.

I call on you to act immediately to ensure your dating app is safe for all users by applying ‘Safety By Design’ principles. Starting with: providing survivors the ability to report someone even if they have been ‘unmatched’ and implementing safeguards to prevent image based abuse. 

Please take action to ensure dating app users can experience connection, not violence. 

Sincerely,

Fair Agenda will email petition signers from time to time with important updates

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Latest activity

Tracy , 6210  /  signed 2023-02-19 10:46:57 +1100
samantha , 3379  /  signed 2023-01-29 16:04:39 +1100
Caroline , 6168  /  signed 2022-11-10 13:31:48 +1100
"Dating sites may be the common dating mechanism in contemporary society but the laws should be tweaked to keep up with new norms so that women can seek justice when assaulted. How hard can this be?"
Helen , 7213  /  signed 2022-11-02 10:19:06 +1100
Marie-Pierre , 2015  /  signed 2022-11-02 08:50:42 +1100
"As a trauma-informed therapist and former first responder to sexual assault, I have seen/ heard and continue to bear witness to the carnage of toxic masculinity facilitated by these apps. Enough! Put in place protections for women."
Wendy , 3070  /  signed 2022-10-31 21:52:53 +1100
Marie -Therese , 6060  /  signed 2022-10-31 19:58:45 +1100
Mardi , 2480  /  signed 2022-10-31 11:23:00 +1100
"Women, and all people, should be safe from gender-based abuse, harassment and violence at all times, including through their devices. People, who are commonly men, need to learn their sexually abusive behaviour is not accepted and won’t be supported by app companies."
Helen , 2070  /  signed 2022-10-30 16:31:01 +1100
Rick , 4868  /  signed 2022-10-30 07:28:35 +1100
"I’m 57, have used online dating. A few women I met had been sent dick picks as their first contact.
If these people sending them were called out immediately, it would be a big step to changing the general attitude of how polite people communicate.
One small step that would lead to a big change in attitude."
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