Many dating apps a matchmaker for cybercriminals, study finds

Location-based dating (LBD) apps are not doing enough to protect user privacy, with exact location and other personal data being exploited by stalkers and bad actors, a recent analysis found.

 KU Leuven, a Flemish research university, examined 15 popular LBD apps, including Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge, according to the report, “Swipe Left for Identity Theft,” published Thursday. Six of the apps offer real-time pinpointing of a user’s location, allowing bad actors to stalk, assault, and in one case, allegedly murder a user, per the report.

After users create a profile, usually with a mobile phone or device, and turn on their geolocation data, they can be found by others within their vicinity who are also on the app and supposedly seeking dates.