Tinder to alert travellers to 69 nations including S'pore where LGBTQ status is ‘effectively criminalised’

SINGAPORE — Dating app Tinder on Friday (Aug 2) unveiled a new feature to alert lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) users when they visit any of 69 countries including Singapore where laws “effectively criminalise” their status.

Los Angeles-based Tinder says with the feature, called “Traveller Alert”, it wants to make the swiping experience safer for its LGBTQ users travelling and living in these countries.

Singapore is one of the 69 countries listed in a report by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) which, Tinder said, “still have discriminatory laws effectively criminalising LGBTQ status”. Among these countries, the association also identified 11 where consensual same-sex acts could be punishable by the death penalty.

The data was used by Tinder to establish where the alert should be deployed.

The feature, which detects LGBTQ users’ locations from their devices, sends out a warning about the country’s laws when they start using the app in the country.

Those using Tinder’s Passport feature, which allows users to change their location from wherever they are to connect with people around the world, will also receive this alert.

Users are also given the option of hiding their profile during their stay. They can make their profile public afterwards, but their sexual orientation or gender identity will be removed temporarily from their profile until they leave the country.

This is to safeguard users from law enforcement agencies and individuals who may target them, said the dating app, which added that the traveller alert will be rolled out for both iOS and Android users in the coming days. 

LGBTQ COMMUNITY HERE WELCOMES MOVE

Ms Mandy Chng, the programmes and events coordinator of women gay rights group Sayoni, said that the move was an important step.

“We have documented experiences of visibly queer persons and couples facing harassment in public. And Tinder’s safety warning serves as a protection for both Singaporeans and those who might be new to the country or just visiting,” she said.

Mr Benjamin Xue, co-founder of LGBTQ youth support group Young OUT Here, said that violence against the LGBTQ community goes unreported most of the time.

“We’ve been the subjects of abuse, ranging from name-calling to outright violence in relationships,” said Mr Xue.

Highlighting the usefulness of this feature, he added that Tinder is making the right step in ensuring safety for all of its users, including the LGBTQ community.

“It places the autonomy of choosing to be out online as an LGBTQ person onto the user, triggering a thought process of safety in an online dating space," he said.

He added: “Everyone’s (idea of) safety is different and that is hugely dependent on support systems and life stages of the individual."

Freelance educator Stephanie Chan said that Tinder’s new feature is a good move to keep travellers informed about the laws in a country.

Citing Section 377A of the Penal Code, which criminalises sex between men, she said: “Many people in Singapore support the upholding of this law, so LGBTQ travellers should be aware that they are entering a country with a large number of people and institutions who do not tolerate or accept them.”

Tinder’s chief executive officer Elie Seidman said it is important to protect members of the LGBTQ community from discrimination.

“We fundamentally believe that everyone should be able to love who they want to love — and we strive to reflect this in everything we do at Tinder," he said.