Dating Apps: Drastic Rule Changes Coming

Online dating apps just became safer, according to the federal government.

Key points

“Online dating is now the most common way to meet a partner in Australia,” Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland said.
The code came about following a 2022 survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology(AIC).
“Everyone deserves to live a life free of violence no matter where they are – and this includes online,” Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, said.
Online dating advice is to be wary: do not agree to anything if you have doubts.

The companies behind apps such Bumble, Tinder and RSVP, have now adopted a “world-leading” code “to improve safety for Australians,” read a government statement.

The adoption of the code means online dating will be safer for all users.

“Online dating is now the most common way to meet a partner in Australia,” Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland said.

“These services did not develop overnight, and the lack of action over the last decade means that regulation has not kept pace with technology.”

The new code

By adopting the industry code, the companies, including Match Group (the parent company of Tinder, Match.com and OkCupid), Spark Networks, Bumble, RSVP, and the ParshipMeet Group, have agreed to:

Implement systems to detect potential incidents of online-enabled harm.
Take actions against those users who have violated online safety policies.
Implement prominent, clear and transparent complaint and reporting mechanisms.
Provide support resources for Australian users in relation to safe dating practices.
Improve engagement with Australian law enforcement.

“This new industry code is an Australian-first for the online dating sector,” Minister Rowland said.

“The Albanese Government’s constructive engagement with industry means that the largest online dating services operating in Australia have made clear, public commitments to improve the safety of their services – including to crack down on abuse and de-platform dangerous users.”

Online harassment

The code came about following a 2022 survey by the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC).

The survey found three out of four respondents had been subjected to sexual violence through dating apps in the last five years.

“Sexual harassment was the most common form of behaviour reported, as well as abusive and threatening language, and unsolicited sexual images,” the AIC found.

At the time, Minister Rowland said that the government was concerned by the “unacceptable levels” of abuse and harassment. Following the report, the government convened a National Roundtable for Online Dating Safety, which was held last year.

The roundtable heard “directly from the online dating industry about their efforts to prevent violence and abuse arising from the use of their services,” Minister Rowland said.

Primarily, the roundtable was convened to “improve safety for Australians” who use dating apps.

“This has to end”

The roundtable led to the new industry code for online dating apps.

“Dating app violence is a form of gender-based violence, and it has to end,” Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, said. “Our government is committed to ensuring Australians are safe from sexual violence and abuse in both online and physical spaces.

“We must create communities – both in the physical and virtual world – where everyone is treated equally and with respect. Everyone deserves to live a life free of violence no matter where they are – and this includes online”.

Risks of online dating

According to the eSafety Commissioner, online dating comes with a number of risks.

“One of the biggest risks with online dating is that not everyone is honest about who they are,” reads the eSafety Commissioner advice.

“Some people create fake profiles to hook or catfish others they connect with, then scam them out of money or abuse them.”

The advice is to be wary: do not agree to anything if you have doubts.

“Look out for warning signs of abuse and trust your gut feelings,” the eSafety Commissioner said.

Expert advice

According to Chanel Contos, the founder of the Teach Us Consent campaign, there are three warning signs to look out for in online dating.

1) If the person’s stories aren’t adding up. “If someone you’re speaking to has inconsistencies in basic details and personal interests, it could be that they’re not being honest about who they really are and they may be making this information up to play a role in order to get closer to you,” she said.

2) If the person’s behaviour is becoming overly familiar. “Online conversations and friendships can develop fast, but they should have limits,” she said. “If a person starts asking for information you’re not completely ready to share, like around where you live or your sexual experiences, it could be a sign that they have different expectations of the relationship.”

3) They are not respecting your boundaries. “A no is a no, and if someone on the internet is pushing you to do something you don’t want to do, like sending nudes, revealing information around yourself or cutting off friends, it is a sign they do not respect your boundaries,” she said.

First steps

The industry code for dating apps will be “operationalised” over the next three months.

After nine months of its operation, the eSafety Commissioner will “assess the effectiveness of the code and provide advice to Government on its adequacy,” a government statement read.

For more information visit here.

Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.

Feature image: Photo by Good Faces Agency on Unsplash