Dating apps are implementing new features aimed at decreasing negative experiences and improving the user’s odds for finding love.
Tinder and hinge are the largest and most popular, and Tinder alone has an estimated user number of 50 million, making approximately 21 million matches a day. This leaves a lot of room for negative experiences and interaction—after all, without more substantiated facts about someone, how can anyone be sure what they are walking into?
A new app that launched in late 2014 named Bumble has begun to address this by giving women an edge by empowering them to make the first move. Both sexes can go through matches, but only females can message first. In other words, if she doesn’t like what she sees or has any concerns, she is able to cut off the other person’s access to her. After matches are suggested, they remain active for 24 hours, then disappear, though men can opt to extend it another 24 hours before it is gone. Women have to be checking regularly, but then if not interested, don’t have to think about it again.
Bumble appears to be gaining a good reputation so far and creators are fine tuning it all the time. A new feature rewards thoughtful and respectful users with a badge, which acts essentially as a sign of approval to other users. This also adds a level of security and comfort, especially for women. If someone has a badge, they can opt to only see potential matches that also hold that badge. Yes, it can limit their options, but if it adds to comfort it may be a better option for some.
With the increase in dating apps and users who prefer the ease and speed they offer, more traditional dating sites may become obsolete. For those of us with concerns about dating apps, myself included, these new features that add a level of security, especially for women, are a big plus. If this works better and faster for those seeking love, with no less risk to security and privacy, it’s a win-win for everyone.
