How Dangerous Are Dating Sites Really? Expert Opinion

Using the dating app, users have the ability to view dozens of profiles at least every minute and schedule several dates at the same time. You can make plans to start a family, or just have a non-binding affair. But, as elsewhere, there is one "but" here: the decision to meet is always made in conditions of limited information. Territorial proximity, a passionate look on the main photo, a couple of jokes - all these selection criteria can hardly be called serious.

The content of the article

• 1 Dangers of Online Dating
• 2 Difficulties in gathering information
• 3 Trends in delinquency
• 4 Beware: Online Criminals
• 5 All responsibility must be placed on the applications. Or not?
• 6 Application Recommendations

Dangers of online dating i

According to a study by the Tinder app, users are online every day for up to 90 minutes a day. At the same time, fake profiles are abundant in applications and on dating sites; and often in their open spaces you can find sexual perverts and maniacs. Some app features - such as the use of geolocation - put users at serious risk. Of course, the management of major Internet resources is taking steps to improve security; but this is often not enough.

So says John Leach, a member of the local government council of Manchester (UK). He is convinced that online dating companies must take responsibility for the safety of their users. Indeed, over the past 4 years, 17 people in Manchester County have reported rape after dating on Grindr and Tinder. In general, over the same period, a total of 58 people became victims of crimes - and this is just over one victim per month.

Difficulties in gathering information 2

The problem is that statistics on online dating crimes are extremely sparse. In the same Great Britain in 2016, data was collected from police stations throughout the country. It turned out that not every branch has statistics on crimes related to dating apps. Another problem is the silence of the victim itself. It is believed that in only 17% of all rape cases, victims contact the police (regardless of whether these cases are related to online dating or not).

Crime trends3

Between 2008 and 2013, the Pew Research Center collected statistics on dating app usage. It turned out that among the adult population, the number of users has tripled. In England, the number of offenses related to online dating increased almost 6-fold over the same period. If it goes on like this, these apps and sites can become really dangerous.

On the other hand, a lot depends on criminal tendencies as such. For example, in the United States, from 1993 to the present, the incidence of sexual violence and incest has decreased by 63%. In contrast, UK statistics have recorded an increase in rape since 2012.

It is noteworthy that about 72% of crimes are committed in the territory of the victim or the offender (in houses and apartments). Surprisingly, 41% of dating ended with rape initially took place at one party's home. That is, the victim and the offender did not change their location - say, going home after visiting a cafe. And all this - despite the numerous tips to always make a first date in public.

Another study was conducted in 2016 in Hong Kong. 666 students took part in the survey. The results showed that about half of the respondents used online dating apps. Representatives of this category were twice as likely to suffer from sexual violence in one form or another (ranging from coercion to unprotected sex and ending with rape).

This study does not prove that the mere fact of using applications puts a person at risk. However, scientists consider this trend alarming.

Beware: Online Criminals4

In 2016, British resident Stephen Port was convicted of the murder of four young men he met on the Grindr gay dating app. And in 2011, Match.com had to radically transform the way its application worked after a raped woman sued her. Match.com now verifies registered user profiles against offender databases. The same company was one of the parties in the case of serial rapist James Lawrence. He was convicted of the rape of seven women whom he met in the application - naturally, after talking with hundreds of other users.

All responsibility must be placed on the applications. Or not? 5

At the same time, representatives of Match.com are very reluctant to comment on the situation. A 2013 Consumers Digest article cites an excerpt from an interview with Mandy Ginsberg, the company's CEO. “Match.com is no different from the regular social environment. If you go to a bar and meet new people there, you know to be careful. " Opponents believe that dating apps have one essential detail - you have to pay to be able to use their services. And so they must keep users safe. After all, the annual income from applications is as much as $ 3 billion in the United States alone, proponents of this point of view remind.

Although does this fact give the right to be irresponsible to your own health and life? After all, we also pay for the bar; however, there is no need to start a conversation with a dubious person who is potentially dangerous …

John Leach believes that even if you take all measures to compare the police databases with information about newly registered users, you cannot be one hundred percent sure of security. “Applications could take other measures to create a secure environment. For example, to oblige every registrant to link an account in the application with a page on the social network. This could make it easier to verify identity. " Several apps - including Tinder - have already made this step required. Others are in no hurry to take such measures yet.

Tony Neath, CEO of Get Safe Online, a nonprofit, stresses: “The actual online dating rape is only part of the picture. Internet communication is also a source of financial fraud and other crimes that can cause emotional trauma.”

Application Recommendations6

Various online resources, including dating apps, offer a number of tips for online safety. Tinder emphasizes that it's important to only meet new people in public places. The Grindr application recommends its users not to rush to make real dates and always inform loved ones about their location. Also, most Internet resources are equipped with the function of reporting users who behave inappropriately. In the future, I block such users, and their profiles are deleted.