Match Group Faces Scrutiny Over Dating Apps' Role in Enabling Sexual Assaults

An investigation reveals systemic failures in safety measures across Match Group platforms, allowing known offenders to repeatedly access dating apps.

Match Group, which owns Tinder, Hinge, and other dating apps, has been accused of failing to prevent repeat offenders from rejoining its platforms despite being reported for sexual assault.
Stephen Matthews, a Denver cardiologist, was convicted of assaulting 11 women he met through Match Group apps, though the company had been aware of reports against him for years.
Internal documents show Match Group resisted implementing robust safety measures and transparency, prioritizing growth over user security despite possessing tools to monitor harmful users.
Experiments by investigative journalists demonstrated that banned users could easily recreate accounts on Match Group apps with minimal changes to their information.
Lawmakers and advocates are pushing for increased transparency and accountability from dating app companies, with new legislation emerging in Colorado and other jurisdictions.