Dating apps in Australia including Tinder, Bumble and Hinge have agreed to a world-first industry code of conduct to keep Australians safer online, but controversially, the agreement is voluntary.
“This new industry code is an Australian-first for the online dating sector,” Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland said in a statement.
“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.
“The Government will be watching industry closely over the coming months as the Code is operationalised, and we look forward to the eSafety Commissioner’s assessment of its effectiveness as we consider any possible next steps”.
The framework was developed following the government’s National Roundtable on Online Dating Safety last year, with support from Match Group (Hinge and Tinder), Bumble, Grindr, Spark Networks, RSVP, and the ParshipMeet Group.
The roundtable was convened by the Albanese Government last year after a study from the Australian Institute of Criminology found that three in four survey respondents had been “subjected to sexual violence facilitated by dating apps in the last five years.”
The code includes an agreement to:
- Implement systems to detect potential incidents of online-enabled harm;
- Take actions against end-users found to have violated online safety policies, including terminating accounts across all services operated by that company;
- Implementing prominent, clear and transparent complaint and reporting mechanisms;
- Provide support resources for Australian users in relation to safe dating practices and online enabled harms;
- Publish regular transparency reports detailing the number of Australian accounts terminated and content moderation processes;
- Improve engagement with Australian law enforcement, including proactive escalation of complaints where there is an imminent threat to the safety of a complainant.
To put it simply, the code aims to minimise the number of fake profiles on these platforms, and ensure action is taken quickly and effectively against inappropriate behaviour.
The code being voluntary means that none of the dating apps operating in Australia have any legal obligation to comply with the code. However, approximately 75 percent of apps (including all of the major ones) have agreed to do so.
What do the dating apps have to say about it?
“We continue to share the Australian government’s commitment to help strengthen safety,” a Match Group spokesperson told PEDESTRIAN.TV.
“We worked collaboratively with industry partners, the offices of Ministers Rowland and Rishworth, and the e-Safety Commissioner to develop a robust framework that includes innovative solutions and educational initiatives to help make dating safer for all Australians.”
In a lengthy statement provided to PEDESTRIAN.TV, Bumble stressed its support of the code of conduct.
“We are unwavering in our support to protect women and marginalised communities. Our recently updated Community Guidelines contain our most comprehensive definition of sexual assault to date; while our new anti-abuse tip line in partnership with Kodex reduces the burden of reporting abusive behaviour for victim-survivors,” the statement read in part.
Bumble says that it has dedicated new AI-powered features to help weed out fake profiles before they’re seen by users and have recently developed resources to educate the community about how to stay safe online.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to trust and safety across our community, continuing to help educate our members on ways to remain safe on and off of our platform while fostering a community rooted in kindness and respect – so that over time we can create a safer world for everyone.”
How is the dating code enforced?
Under the code, dating apps are encouraged to cooperate with law enforcement in cases of serious misconduct and/or criminal activity but it begs the question: why isn’t this… mandatory?
While the code will be enforced by an independent compliance committee, the penalties for non-compliance aren’t particularly threatening.
“This could include by issuing formal warnings, ordering a participant develop a plan to meet its commitments, suspension or formal removal from the Code, which would prohibit the use of any accreditation or reference to compliance with the Code,” the code states.
Notably, there isn’t any financial or legal penalty for non-compliance.
The code will operate for nine months under its current set up, after which the eSafety Commissioner will assess the effectiveness and provide advice — including whether regulatory action is needed to enforce the code.
Help is available.
- If you require immediate assistance, please call 000.
- If you’d like to speak to someone about sexual violence, please call the 1800 Respect hotline on 1800 737 732 or chat online.
- Under 25? You can reach Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
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