SINGAPORE, Aug 2 — Dating app Tinder today 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”. It also identified 11 countries 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 to hide 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.
LGBTQ community in singapore welcomes move
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.
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.
“Even if it is reported, there is no consequences. We’ve been at the subjects of abuse, ranging from name-calling to outright violence in the relationships,” said Xue.
Highlighting the usefulness of this feature, he added that Tinder is making the right step in ensuring the safety for all of its users, including the LGBTQ community.
“It places the autonomy of choosing to be out online as a LGBTQ person onto the user, triggering a thought process of safety in an online dating space,” he said.
“Everyone’s (idea of) safety is different and that is hugely dependent on support systems and life stages of the individual,” said Xue.
Freelance educator Stephanie Chan said that Tinder’s new feature is a good move to keep travellers informed about the laws in a country.
She cited Section 377A of the Penal Code, which states: Any male person who, in public or private, commits, or abets the commission of, or procures or attempts to procure the commission by any male person of, any act of gross indecency with another male person, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years.
“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 nor accept them.”
As part of the LGBTQ community, Chan feels that this could serve as a “wake up call” for Singaporeans who should realise that they are part of a country that is “unsafe” for many to exist and date as LGBTQ individuals.
“From what I have personally observed, LGBTQ people in Singapore do face large amounts of discrimination, harassment and violence in both their homes and in public in Singapore, a lot of which is highly underreported,” she said.
“Singapore may pride itself on being a generally safe place but it is not really a safe place to be an out LGBTQ person,” Chan said.
Tinder’s chief executive officer Elie Seidman explained the importance of protecting 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.
“It is unthinkable that, in 2019, there are still countries with legislation in place that deprives people of this basic right,” Seidman said.
Adding that the dating app serves “all communities — no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation”, he added that this alert is an example of the many steps Tinder is taking to protect its users.
Executive director of ILGA World, Andre du Plessis said he hopes the new feature will “help protect people of diverse sexual orientations in the 69 countries around the world that currently still criminalise same-sex love”.
“We work hard to change practices, laws and attitudes that put LGBTQ people at risk — including the use of dating apps to target our community — but in the meantime, the safety of our communities also depends on supporting their digital safety,” he added.
Traveller Alert on Tinder is rolling out for users on both iOS and Android in the coming days, said Tinder. — TODAY
