If you’re tired of the unsolicited dick pics and hookup propositions you get from random, often already coupled-up dudes on Tinder, you may just be in luck. The dating app is working on a new feature that takes the power and puts it in women’s hands, and it’s about damn time.
The feature, known as “My Move,” is currently being tested in India and the general gist is that it allows women to decide how and when they’re contacted. That means we can choose to allow guys to contact us or we can set our preferences to ensure that we’re always the ones making the first move. This is meant to ensure women feel safer and more comfortable while using the app, and the response has been positive so far.
Allowing women to set their contact preferences isn’t necessarily new—Bumble has been doing the same thing since its launch in 2014, so Tinder really is playing catchup here. Still, given how dangerous dating can be for women and the prevalence of Tinder (roughly 50 million people were using the app as of 2014), this is a really important update to be making.
Taru Kapoor, general manager for Tinder owner Match Group, told Reuters, “We’re a platform based on mutual respect, consent, and choice. We are focused on making the experience of women safer.”
It’s unclear when Tinder plans to bring the feature to the Western world, but hopefully it’s sooner rather than later. At the moment, Tinder isn’t necessarily a great place for women (or for anyone looking for a relationship, to be honest), but this could go a little way in helping to improve our experience while looking for love online. For now, I guess we’ll just have to keep swiping left on the losers and keep hoping for the best.
