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users’ security. For example, in the paid versions of Tinder and Bumble, you can manually choose your location for a specific region. Since only a region is available rather than a specific distance, it’s much harder to determine a user’s exact location. And some paid versions of apps, like Happn, offer users an “incognito mode”, whereby users can hide their profile from those they haven’t swiped right on and strangers. “It’s always challenging to find a balance between building a digital presence and maintaining your privacy online, and the shift to online dating creates yet another area where users have to determine the best way for them to forge connections while protecting their security. Thankfully, what we’ve seen over the past few years is that dating apps are moving in the right direction, letting users connect more safely. They’re working to keep the data secure, and, in the paid versions of many of the apps, users can do things like manually specify
their location or blur their photos. Hopefully, in the future, these options will be available in all apps for free. The best thing users can do to stay safe is to be careful about the data they’re sharing about themselves, both on their dating profiles and in conversations,” comments Tatyana Shishkova, security expert at Kaspersky. When it comes to the future of dating apps, Kaspersky has several predictions—and hopes—particularly when it comes to their security, such as the use of AI to protect users from fraud and the creation of verified accounts. You can discover these and more predictions about the future of dating and love, as well as submit your own through the Earth 2050 project. You can also learn more about the security of dating apps on Securelist.
To say safe when using dating apps, Kaspersky experts recommend the following:
• Do not share too much personal information (last name, employer, photos with friends, political views, etc.) in your profile • Do not tie other social media accounts to your profile • Select your location manually, if possible • Use two-factor authentication, if possible • Delete or hide your profile if you are no longer using the app
• Use the built-in messenger in dating apps. It's better to move to other messengers only if you trust your match. If you finally decide to do so, set up the chat in a way that keeps your private info secured. • Use a trusted security solution on your devices, such as Kaspersky Security Cloud. It will help you detect any malicious or suspicious activity across your gadgets, as well as check the security of the URL that you’re visiting.
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