Senior Lib Dem declares ‘war’ on Grindr
A senior Lib Dem has “declared war” on Grindr and Tinder, attacking the hook-up apps for letting people meet up with “complete strangers” without safety precautions.
The comments come from former MP John Leech, who was ousted as Member of Parliament for Manchester Withington in 2015.
The ex-MP this week accused dating apps Tinder and Grindr of letting down users because they “allow users to speak with complete strangers” without giving them tips on how to stay safe.
Mr Leech told PinkNews in a statement: “It is completely unacceptable that neither of the two leading dating apps display safety alerts or notices at any point from download to real life use, not even anything as simple as meeting somewhere public and letting a friend know where you’re going.”
He added: “Something as serious as rape has an enormous and life-shattering impact on so many lives, from the victim to their friends, family and co-workers
“Tinder and Grindr should not be let off the hook over such a serious and shocking lapse in care to their users.
“They must introduce safety alerts immediately and dramatically increase the safety of users, and they must do it now.”
The politician also called on schools to focus on hook-up apps as part of sex and relationship education.
He added: “I fear that these worrying incidents are just the beginning of a much wider issue surrounding a serious lack of sexual and relationship education that must also be confronted.
“In an evolving and increasingly digital age where many people have found their perfect match through these dating apps, the real dangers of online dating must also be highlighted to ensure that these horrific and life-shattering crimes are avoided.”
He pointed to data which shows 58 incidents across Greater Manchester, including rape and serious violence, have been linked to Grindr and Tinder.
