Tinder Lets Known Sex Offenders Use the App. It’s Not the Only One

https://www.propublica.org/article/tinder-lets-known-sex-offenders-use-the-app-its-not-the-only-one

by mzs • 7 years ago

7 7 7 years ago

sounds like an impossible problem for where the only (dystopian) solution would be strong attestation of users identity by the service provider. not only would that too be riddled with potential mistakes. but as it is with all such cases, the service provider can't actually be trusted with such data (or managing such a process).

EDIT: this story sounds like trying to use the sex-offender thing to fabricated outrage. People who use these apps to "hook up" with strangers should be well aware that they might bump into all kind of bad people (some of them might be lunatics or even criminals). Having the service provider suddenly be in charge of attesting for the (lack of) character of its users sounds like a terrible idea.

toomuchtodo• 7 years ago

It is not unreasonable to regulate platforms for the safety of its users. Background checks and ID verification flows can be automated, and are inexpensive in bulk.

"Gig economy" platforms already support this in various forms, due to customer pressure and local regulatory environments.

DyslexicAtheist2• 7 years ago

they could push to educate users better on how to be safe or at least tailor part of the process (getting to know each other workflow) so it becomes safer.

meeting strangers and attesting for identity is a problem that isn't unique to Tinder/Grindr. It's relevant to any service that spills over into meat-space.

Background checks and ID checks unfortunately won't work for many people not in the US. Worse they will give people a wrong sense of security. IMO training and steering users to the right behavior would be more effective.

Some of these tips[1] could be used to implement a workflow (user stories) around it to make it safer:

[1] staying safe on Tinder: https://www.vyke.com/stay-safe-on-tinder/

mzs• 7 years ago

It sounds like a class action instead to me, literally the first sentence:

Match Group, which owns most major online dating services, screens for sexual predators on Match — but not on Tinder, OkCupid or PlentyofFish. A spokesperson said, “There are definitely registered sex offenders on our free products.”

SamReidHughes• 7 years ago

The link is broken, but the link from the propublica.org home page is also broken (and is the same link). Maybe it will start working.

vageli• 7 years ago

Is there anything stopping a sex offender from taking out a classified ad in the paper or a missed connection on Craigslist? This doesn't seem isolated to web properties so the framing is a little odd to me.

rubbingalcohol• 7 years ago

If Tinder forced people to do background checks, propublica would do a similar write-up about how invasive that is and how it disproportionately affects [affected group]. The only way to win this game is to not play.

Tinder Lets Known Sex Offenders Use the App. It’s Not the Only One

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