SINGAPORE — Tinder, the world’s most popular app for meeting new people, today announced the launch of its Dating Safety Guide in several countries across Southeast Asia. Young singles in Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam will be able to access educational resources that have been tailored for each country specifically to provide hopeful daters with the most relevant and up-to-date safe dating tips.
First launched last year in Australia in partnership with an Australian non-government organization (NGO) partner, WESNET, the guide has since been localized, updated, and rolled out across the region including in Japan, as the Safe Dating Guide, and in India, where it was launched in collaboration with the Centre for Social Research, a leading non-profit organization.
Safety is something on the minds of young singles in the region as they look to dip their toes into the online dating pool. According to a survey conducted by Tinder, 80% of young people in Southeast Asia feel that safety features on dating apps are very important when it comes to their online dating experience. Despite this, only 30% of young singles polled are aware of safety features and have used them many times, with 18% not sure of the range of safety features available on the dating apps they’ve used.
Tinder’s Dating Safety Guide covers many topics and is a comprehensive educational resource for young singles. In addition to reiterating Tinder’s House Rules and Community Guidelines, it goes in-depth to explain the various in-app safety features, as well as tips to have a safe dating experience, from connecting online to taking the relationship IRL. The guide also delves into harassment and the reporting process, alongside a list of local organizations as supplementary resources to aid young singles on their journey, offering avenues for further assistance and support.
As part of the launch, starting from March 06, users will also see in-app display cards that will allow them to access the guide.
“At Tinder, the well-being of our users is paramount, and this guide is a testament to our ongoing commitment to user safety. Gen Zs are redefining dating on their terms to be more authentic, open, inclusive, and fluid, and we want to empower them to explore the possibilities on Tinder while feeling confident and safe. With the knowledge and resources to better protect themselves, we want to ensure that this new generation of young adult singles are getting to know new people in fun, safe, and healthy ways,” said Papri Dev, VP APAC Communications at Tinder.
The release of this guide follows Tinder’s continued efforts to engage and educate young adults in the region on staying safe in their online dating journeys. Previously, Tinder rolled out a public awareness campaign to safeguard against romance scams across four countries in Southeast Asia. As part of World Romance Scam Prevention Day last October, Tinder and Match Group also collaborated with Mean Girls actor Jonathan Bennett to remind users of ways to avoid online financial scams and toxic behaviors. Earlier, the global dating app also piloted School of Swipe, its first-ever online companion guide to online dating in Southeast Asia.
Tinder has significantly invested in Trust & Safety (T&S) product development over the last few years, bringing its total T&S feature suite to 20 innovations. These include innovative, best-in-class features, such as its updated AI functionalities including Are You Sure? and Does This Bother You?. Other safety features include Block Contacts and Photo Verification.
Read more about Tinder’s safety features here.
