Match Group has teamed up with the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the biggest anti-sexual violence organisation in the US, to improve the way it deals with reports of sexual misconduct.
RAINN is conducting a comprehensive audit of the policies and business practices across Match Group’s portfolio of dating apps. Suggestions will be made on how to make the dating communities safer, with recommended updates being made in early 2021.
Tracey Breeden, Match Group’s new Head of Safety and Social Advocacy, said to Business Insider: “By working together with courageous, thought-leading organizations like RAINN, we will up level safety processes and strengthen our responses for survivors of sexual assault.”
The partnership came after an investigation from the Australian Broadcasting Company and Triple J Hack found that many reports of sexual misconduct on Tinder went unreported.
It found that the moderating system was flawed as offenders were able to simply unmatch the victims and have their entire conversation history deleted from the database.
Although not directly mentioned in the report, Bumble quickly introduced updates to its unmatching protocols. Users now have more control over who they connect with and can still report old matches even if they’ve been blocked.
Tinder has now announced that it will be making changes soon, to help users to learn how to submit reports in every situation. A shield icon will be added to the chat list to direct people to the ‘Safety Center’ where they can read necessary information.
RAINN CEO Scott Berkowitz added: “We’re glad to see that Match Group is focused on prioritizing safety, and we look forward to partnering with them to innovate approaches to these challenges and strengthen support for survivors.”
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