Crimes linked to Tinder and Grindr jump sevenfold in two years
More than 400 reports made last year, including allegations of violence and sex offences
Police are investigating an increasing number of crimes including allegations of rape and blackmail linked to the dating apps Tinder and Grindr.
Crimes connected to the two apps have increased sevenfold in two years, from 55 in 2013 to 412 in the year to October 2015, according to figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Reports last year included 253 allegations of violence and 152 claims of sex offences such as grooming, rape and the sexual exploitation of children, reports the Daily Telegraph.
However, points out the newspaper, the figures include police reports where the apps are mentioned in the description of the crime, not necessarily when they might have been used directly by the criminal.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Andy Cooke, deputy chief constable of Merseyside Police and the national police lead on violence and public protection, said the "rising popularity of online dating apps and websites has contributed to an increase in the number of recorded crimes" and urged users to be "as security conscious as possible".
Campaigners have also warned of the risk of "sextortion" - for example, last August, two men were jailed after threatening to expose a married man they met on Grindr.
"If we are going to base the formation of a relationship on a photo and a few lines of text, how do we know that person is who they say they are and they have the right intentions?" says Andy Phippen, professor of social responsibility in IT at Plymouth University.
"It is something we tell kids about – don't trust who people say they are online – but the adult population go merrily about their way thinking it is a good way of hooking up."
In a statement, Tinder told BBC's Newsbeat: "People with bad intentions exist in coffee shops, bookstores, on social media and social apps.
"Tinder has become one of the largest social platforms in the world, responsible for ten billion connections in just the last few years, and therefore we are not immune to this, despite the fact that it represents a miniscule percentage of our experiences."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Women are getting their own baseball league again
In the Spotlight The league is on track to debut in 2026
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Giant TVs are becoming the next big retail commodity
Under the Radar Some manufacturers are introducing TVs over 8 feet long
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
When will mortgage rates finally start coming down?
The Explainer Much to potential homebuyers' chagrin, mortgage rates are still elevated
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Spotify has an issue with 'fake artists'
In the Spotlight Some of these bands are reportedly generating millions of streams from Spotify users
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
How cybercriminals are hacking into the heart of the US economy
Speed Read Ransomware attacks have become a global epidemic, with more than $18.6bn paid in ransoms in 2020
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Language-learning apps speak the right lingo for UK subscribers
Speed Read Locked-down Brits turn to online lessons as a new hobby and way to upskill
By Mike Starling Published
-
Brexit-hobbled Britain ‘still tech powerhouse of Europe’
Speed Read New research shows that UK start-ups have won more funding than France and Germany combined over past year
By Mike Starling Published
-
Playing Cupid during Covid: Tinder reveals Britain’s top chat-up lines of the year
Speed Read Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Dominic Cummings among most talked-about celebs on the dating app
By Joe Evans Last updated
-
Brits sending one less email a day would cut carbon emissions by 16,000 tonnes
Speed Read UK research suggests unnecessary online chatter increases climate change
By Joe Evans Published
-
Reach for the Moon: Nokia and Nasa to build 4G lunar network
Speed Read Deal is part of the US space agency’s plan to establish human settlements on the lunar surface
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
iPhone 12 launch: what we learned from the Apple ‘Hi, Speed’ event
Speed Read Tech giant unveils new 5G smartphone line-up
By Mike Starling Last updated