Tinder cuts the cord that lets people boost their social media followers

Tinder, the online dating app owned by Match Group, announced that it has updated its community guidelines as part of its efforts to make "the app a fun and safe place to meet new people." As per the new guidelines, Tinder won't allow users to add social media handles to their public bios and profiles, adding that the platform is not a place to increase followers.

Its blog post on the updated community guidelines reads:

Tinder is not a place to promote businesses to try making money. Members shouldn’t advertise, promote, or share social handles or links to gain followers, sell things, fundraise, or campaign. To help combat this, Tinder will remove social handles from public bios.

The app already allows users to connect Instagram accounts to their Tinder profiles and showcase their photos. However, it doesn't display the user's Instagram handle in their profile. Tinder previously tried to make more sense of the integration by showing common Instagram connections users' had with their potential matches but the feature was later discontinued.

The updated guidelines also ask users to keep their Tinder chats private, stressing that users should take consent before sharing images or messages from their conversations elsewhere. Tinder also says that users should never create a fake profile on the platform, impersonate others even if it's for fun, or submit false reports against other members.

It was reported last month that Tinder has deployed AI-powered vetting tools to curb catfishers on its platform. Earlier this year, the online dating app rolled out an incognito mode intended to improve the privacy and security of its users.