Tinder is taking steps to make dates safer, incorporating panic buttons and letting authorities have access to a user’s location, and they also want to kick catfish to the curb.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Tinder’s parent company is taking a stake in the app Noonlight which tracks users and lets authorities know where they are if there are safety concerns. During a date users can trigger an alert and Noonlight will then share information, like the time of the date, the location of the user, or details about the person they’re on the date with, to authorities. Noonlight has assured that the location data won’t be used for anything else. While giving an app your location data might potentially be icky for some, it’s a price Noonlight has found many are willing to pay for the safety features. The move comes after complaints about Tinder’s safety, such as failing to screen sex offenders.
Another feature Tinder tells the WSJ they’re planning to roll out is a way to test if people really are who they say they are. Tinder is testing a verification system which will ask users to take pictures in specific poses, like holding a thumbs up. Users who pass will then get a blue verification badge. Sounds like someone just watched The Circle!