Tinder’s ‘Are You Sure?’ feature aims to lessen toxic messages in the app

Tinder has announced a new feature called "Are You Sure?" (AYS?) to reduce harassment in the app and make the dating space safer. 

According to Tinder, AYS? will warn users to think twice about their opening line in real-time. It uses AI to detect harmful language and proactively intervenes with a prompt telling the sender that their message may be offensive. This AI will be based on what other users have reported in the past and will continue to evolve and improve over time. 

The way it works is, if a user types a message that the AI flags, the prompt will pop up on their screen. It will notify them that the text might offend their match and will ask them to rethink before sending it.

In early testing, Tinder reveals that harmful language in messages sent has reduced by 10 percent and that members who saw the prompt were less likely to be reported for misconduct. 

Apart from AYS?, Tinder has other harm reduction tools like "Does This Bother You?" where members receive support when toxic language is detected in a message they received. Tinder says that this feature is empowering more users to report bad behavior on the platform, with reports of inappropriate messages increasing by 46 percent.

“Words are just as powerful as actions, and today we’re taking an even stronger stand that harassment has no place on Tinder,” said Tracey Breeden, head of Safety and Social Advocacy for Match Group.

“By giving users an easy way to flag harassing messages, this new tool will help Tinder identify—and take action against—those users who are unwilling to act responsibly,” said Scott Berkowitz, president of RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network).

These features are part of Tinder’s commitment to making its platform safe for all of its users.