Tinder is reportedly adding a panic button for when bad dates go horribly wrong

Meeting strangers off the internet is inherently dangerous, and Tinder reportedly wants to do something about it. 

The popular dating app is beefing up its user security options, offering a panic alarm for when casual meet-ups or dates take a turn for the worst, the Wall Street Jourrnal reports.

Tinder, which is owned by Match, will start testing a panic button in the U.S. by the end of this month, the publication said on Thursday. The offering is brought about through Match’s purchase of the personal safety app Noonlight. 

Match will extend the feature to its other dating apps like OkCupid, Match and Hinge this year. After the feature goes live, users will be able to add an icon to their profile to let potential suitors know that they have the tool at their disposal in the hope of deterring bad actors, said the report. 

And before a date starts, users can input details about the other person and the outing. 

Dating apps: How to protect your personal data from hackers, advertisers

Report: Dating apps like Grindr, Tinder and OkCupid collect, share your personal data

Tinder. (Photo: grinvalds / Getty Images)

According to the report, once the alarm is activated, the information will be shared with authorities along with the person’s real-time location, which means you have to have location services enabled in order for it to work. 

Earlier in January, Tinder was accused of selling users’ private data like location stats to advertisers, though the dating app denied the claims. The company also told WSJ that it won’t use the location data for marketing or anything else. 

And if someone triggers the alert by accident, the authorities could still show up, said the report. But that’s mitigated by the platform requiring users to enter a code when the alarm is triggered. 

WSJ also reports Tinder is also working on a verification system that would require users to prove they actually look like the photos they upload, which cuts down on fake profiles and catfishing. 

It’s far from the first app to take user safety seriously on the heels of high profile assaults, robberies and murders. 

Uber, Airbnb and Lyft are among the online platforms that have faced scrutiny in recent months after users reported various unsafe situations. The apps have each announced new safety tools to address the issues. 

Follow Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown. 

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