Bumble, Grindr, and Match Group Sign Australia’s Online Dating Code
Bumble, Grindr, and Match Group, which together account for roughly 75% of Australia’s online dating industry, have signed onto a new code of conduct aimed at enhancing user safety. This code was introduced in response to findings from the Australian Institute of Criminology, which reported that 75% of online dating users experienced some form of sexual violence between 2016 and 2021.
The code mandates platforms to implement systems to detect harmful behavior and take corrective actions, including account terminations for offenders. Additionally, platforms must provide transparent complaint mechanisms and introduce a rating system to evaluate their compliance with safety standards.
The new rules took effect on September 19th, 2024, and are required to be fully implemented by April 1st, 2025. The government has warned it will introduce legislation if the industry fails to enforce the required safety measures, but may back off if the complying platforms can prove that they’re able to protect their own users effectively.
The introduction of his new code aims to provide Australian users with safer online dating environment. However, now that these platforms have officially agreed to comply with the new rules, these changes could benefit users all across the world – and potentially form the groundwork for major overhauls to how dating sites protect the people using them.