Happn Launches New Safety Procedures

Online safety continues to be a pressing issue in the world of online dating and happn, the international dating app, has spoken about their safety features. They have especially looked into the process of reporting a user.

Step 1 : Report.

• If a user feels uncomfortable or unsure with the person they are talking to they should press the three dots in the corner of the chat and give their reasoning for why they are reporting.

Step 2 : Next Step.

• Once a user’s profile has been reported this is flagged to happn customer service. The investigation will look into the users behaviour and the response will be according to the severity of the findings. The reported user could receive anything from a written warning to being banned from the app completely.

Step 3 : Outcome.

• The measures taken are based upon the findings. However, if a user believes they are the victim of an incident, further steps can be taken, for example, contacting the police.

Karima Ben Abdelmalek, happn’s CEO, says: “At happn, user safety is the number one most important element to everyone at happn, so it is essential that we communicate our process to current and prospective users. It’s not always easy to be safe online – sometimes, we fall into traps that we think we never would, so I encourage users to be vigilant at all times. If something or someone doesn’t appear to be all that they say, follow your gut and ask for advice from friends or family in the first instance. Users can always reach out to our customer service team too.”

No one under the age of 18 is permitted to join the app and those who have previously been banned are not allowed to rejoin either.

Karima continued: “It is obviously quite impossible for happn to understand in advance if a new user is going to misbehave on the app. We expect a high level of personal conduct on happn and will not settle for anything less. At happn, the safety measures and processes are simple and available in-app. User safety is the most important factor to all of us at happn, and I believe we should be united in this across all apps in the industry.”

Happn have also shared safety tips for users whilst online or offline:

1.  Certify your own profile in-app: all you have to do is take a video of your face while doing a certain move, and then your profile is verified. Also, choose to Crush with other certified users too (certified profiles are those with the blue seal). This verification allows happn to create a safer environment for each person, and users can also start the conversation with more confidence in each other.

1. Get to know the other person through the messaging section in the app first. You can also take advantage of all the free features the app provides, such as video calls and audio calls. If you don’t know each other as well as you’d like yet, then keep communication on the app – this way, users can protect their personal information too (like their phone number or email).

1. If you are going to meet in real life, it’s important to remember that the person you are meeting in an app is still a stranger. As you would do with any stranger, do not share any personal or sensitive information about your personal life until you get to know them more.

1. When on a date, if you don’t feel comfortable, leave. This is our top recommendation. If your gut tells you something is wrong, or you feel insecure, ask someone around you for help.

1. Finally, make sure you meet in a safe, public setting. During your first date, stay in touch with your friends and make sure you have told a friend where you are going and what time. Make sure you have your mobile phone with you and that it is fully charged.