Tinder is quickly edging toward infamy as one of the hastiest online dating services around.
The concept is simple – first, create a profile by connecting the app to your Facebook account; then, choose up to five profile photos and
start swiping through potential matches in the immediate area. Daters will then swipe left to forego a connection or swipe right if they find someone they’d like to begin a conversation with. The snag in the simplicity of this service is that, because it connects through Facebook, users only have to be 13 years old to use Tinder. The easy access to personal information and “hot or not” judging criteria is not necessarily something that the guardian of a 13-year-old might wish for their child, and many parents are unsure of how to keep them safe in their Tinder activity.
Here are a few ideas to get you started in the right direction.
- Get to know the app. Learning how Tinder operates is the best way to stay one step ahead of your teen’s activities on the app.
- Agree on some safe boundaries. Tinder allows users to create their profile with different levels of privacy – confirm that your child has set strict privacy settings.
- Be aware of the updates and upgrades being made to the app so you can adjust your plan of protection if need be.
- Dating apps like Tinder are widely geared toward young people and, as such, warrants a need for an attentive vigilance from proactive parents.
