As a result of its partnership with RAINN, the dating app maker has announced a number of product improvements and training for internal teams to better support survivors of abuse. Garbo, a nonprofit dating app maker invested in last spring, will soon provide background checks on members of the dating app.
Training the customer care team was one of the key aspects of the partnership with RAINN. The training taught staff how to spot reports of serious abuse even if the reports use vague language. Instructions on how team members should respond to these types of reports are provided in the training that is now a mandatory part of the curriculum.
If survivors have waited some time before making their report, they will be able to use a more direct way to report someone they have never met before. Some people prefer to receive updates and others don't, so they can now decide if they want to receive follow-up information.
Not everyone will be comfortable making a direct report, so the app will provide alternative support options. The Crisis Text Line will be provided through the Safety Center, as well as the upcoming feature that will allow access to background checks on matches from Garbo. Garbo, a New York-based company, received a seven-figure sum from the dating app Tinder in March 2021, which offers an alternative to traditional background checks that surface a wide variety of personal information. Garbo focuses on whether or not someone has a history of violence. Drug possession charges and traffic tickets are not included in the results.
The safety center is now accessible from anywhere in the app, which reduces the number of taps it takes for a user to locate it.
Our members are trusting us with an incredibly sensitive and vulnerable part of their lives, and we believe we have a responsibility to support them through every part of this journey, including when they have bad experiences on and off the app.
Breeden joined Match Group in September 2020 as its first-ever head of safety and social advocacy, tasked with overseeing the company's safety policies across its apps.
The lack of background check features in the dating apps run by the Match Group has led to a higher focus on member safety features. There are real safety concerns associated with the dating app market, particularly those impacting young women, a key dating app demographic.
Match invested in Noonlight in order to power new safety features in its dating apps before it invested in Garbo.
Changes to the dating app are not only about protecting users, they are also about protecting the business.
One of the new features that Bumble has launched is a feature that prevents abusers from using the "unmatched" option. New safety features have been launched by Tinder.
The company felt the pressure to get ahead of the regulations that will affect tech companies, like those that operate social media apps. The dating app, which dominates the market, has added features like quick chat, an interactive video series, and other additions to its Explore hub.
By adopting more trauma-informed support practices, Tinder will be better positioned to support members who may have experienced harm and take faster, more transparent action on bad actors.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
