Match Group and Uber Partner with Its On Us for College Dating Safety

Match Group (operator of Tinder, OkCupid, etc.), Uber, and the nonprofit It’s On Us have joined forces to enhance safety for college students navigating the dating scene. With over 2,000 colleges and universities involved, the initiative focuses on educating students about safer dating practices through a newly developed guide – created in consultation with campus safety experts.

This guide provides crucial tips for students when using dating apps like Tinder and Hinge, and when using rideshare services like Uber. It also emphasizes the importance of leveraging app features such as Verification and Reporting on Tinder and Hinge, along with Uber’s Check Your Ride and other in-app safety features like Share My Trip and Pin Verification. These tools can not only help students feel safer, but provide real, tangible protection.

Tracey Vitchers, Executive Director of It’s On Us, said that it’s the group’s priority to “ensure that all students are able to pursue an education that is free from sexual violence”, and recognises that “college is the first time they will use dating apps or rideshare to connect with potential romantic partners”. A key point behind this collaboration is to give students the resources and information they need to safely navigate both online and offline dating experiences.

Uber, a key partner in the initiative, echoed the importance of safety. Emilie Boman, Director of Safety Public Policy at Uber, said that “students have places to go, and people to meet”, and that “the partnership with It’s On Us and Match Group is meant to “provide them with essential tips and information, empowering them to feel secure wherever they travel.

This initiative follows similar efforts by Tinder and It’s On Us, including a 2020 national tour focused on sexual assault prevention. That original tour eventually led to Tinder adopting further safety features, including the Share My Date feature that alerts friends and family to dating plans in case anything goes wrong – and this new partnership could lead to similar tools being adopted on both Uber and Match Group platforms.