Is "Tinder" safe?

[Ronald.]

Hello Ronald here

I was in london yesterday evening with my daughter who was using the app Tinder. When I asked her what it was about she said it was an app to make friends with people. I thought it seemed a bit unsafe for her to be talking to people she did not know when in a new city as she is young still.

When i researched Tinder into Bing search I realised it was a dating app. She is only 16 y old. She insists all her friends have it and that she only talks to people her own age.

Has anyone here used said app and does anyone have any stories about it ? I cant take her phone off her for no good reason but would like to know it is a safe app to use .

Ronald.

[UserSince2005]

As long as she doesnt meet a Gable Tostee

[Cal.]

I used to use it until they cut me offhttp://i.imgur.com/ljCsc8G.gif

I don't think she's allowed to use it at 16. They have age limits. It's 17+ I think!

[Cherie]

As long as she isn't sending nudes its as safe as you asking questions off a bunch of people you have never met

[Saph]

only to meet strangers for sex

[Ronald.]

only to meet strangers for sex

She won't be doing that . I hope not. I will speak to her tomorrow. R.

[Ronald.]

As long as she doesnt meet a Gable Tostee

What is one of them?

[Cherie]

She won't be doing that . I hope not. I will speak to her tomorrow. R.

I'd take her aside now, don't procrastinate

[Cal.]

She won't be doing that . I hope not. I will speak to her tomorrow. R.

Do it now and demand to know why she's being so promiscuous.

[Cherie]

Do it now and demand to know why she's being so promiscuous.


:hee:

[Ronald.]

I'd take her aside now, don't procrastinate

I would but she is at the cinema now. I really hope Saph is not correct and that it is not for sex.

My daughter would not do that. R.

[Ronald.]

Do it now and demand to know why she's being so promiscuous.

Excuse me Cal but my daughter is not promiscuous. I am sure she does not know what the app is for is it actually for sex. I will talk to her when she gets in from the cinema.

R.

[Greg!]

Excuse me Cal but my daughter is not promiscuous. I am sure she does not know what the app is for is it actually for sex. I will talk to her when she gets in from the cinema.

R.

She's not at the cinema, she's shagging

[Greg!]

I'm joking x

[Ronald.]

She's not at the cinema, she's shagging

She's gone with her mum Greg.

[Babayaro.]

Nah you probably don't have anything to worry about. Obviously I don't know your daughter, but when I was 16 I used it quite frequently, and nothing dodgy ever happened. Since she's only 16, she can't match with or talk to anyone older than 17, as i'm sure you can only really match with older people when you turn 18. It links with Facebook so that's how it knows your age. Not everyone uses it as a serious dating app anyway, so she might just be using it for fun, or to discuss who she matches with, with her friends.

Hope that helped in some way lol.

[Greg!]

She's gone with her mum Greg.

oh oops!

[Ronald.]

Nah you probably don't have anything to worry about. Obviously I don't know your daughter, but when I was 16 I used it quite frequently, and nothing dodgy ever happened. Since she's only 16, she can't match with or talk to anyone older than 17, as i'm sure you can only really match with older people when you turn 18. It links with Facebook so that's how it knows your age. Not everyone uses it as a serious dating app anyway, so she might just be using it for fun, or to discuss who she matches with, with her friends.

Hope that helped in some way lol.

Thank you . R.

[Daniel-X]

Well if her friends sleep with her then maybe that is why she's using Tinder.http://i.imgur.com/ljCsc8G.gif

[Greg!]

I've never used it but my friends have and as long as she's sensible (I'm sure she is) she'll be fine :)

[y.winter]

It has a bad reputation for being basically for flings and one night stands. It's less for "real" dating and 16 year old had nothing to do there imo.
I wouldn't go near it...

[Withano]

Im not on Tinder. Im shocked it isnt 18+. All other dating apps are. Are we sure she aint fibbing you?

[Ross.]

She's not at the cinema, she's shagging

She's gone with her mum Greg.

:joker::joker::joker:

[Ronald.]

Sounds like too young to be using this app. Wait until she gets back from watching La La land ill be talking to her. R.

[Withano]

Sounds like too young to be using this app. Wait until she gets back from watching La La land ill be talking to her. R.

The age of consent is 16. Im not so sure thats a great idea.. Let her make the decisions that she is legally allowed to make without you..

[T*]

The age of consent is 16. Im not so sure thats a great idea.. Let her make the decisions that she is legally allowed to make without you..

He just wants her to be safe, there's nothing wrong with that.

[Ronald.]

He just wants her to be safe, there's nothing wrong with that.

Yes thank you.

[Niamh.]

The age of consent is 16. Im not so sure thats a great idea.. Let her make the decisions that she is legally allowed to make without you..

yeah wait till you have kids and see if you still think that way :laugh:

[Ronald.]

yeah wait till you have kids and see if you still think that way :laugh:

I know what teenage boys are like . After all i was one. Even if it was a long long time ago ha ha . R.

[user104658]

Hey guys I hooked up with this girl on Tinder last night and I'm a bit concerned. She said she was 20 but she looked kind of young and I'm not convinced? I asked to meet up again tonight but she said she was going to the cinema with her m... O... Uh oh... Never mind...

[T*]

*awkward cough to break the silence*

[Marsh.]

Do it now and demand to know why she's being so promiscuous.

:joker: :joker: :joker: :joker:

[Rob!]

I think what you have to bear in mind is that she's 16 and old enough (and, to put it bluntly, legal enough) to make her own decisions. I understand your concern but we live in a generation where social media and dating apps are the norm and at 16 she's seeing the world around her in a very different way to how she was 10 years ago. By all means have a chat with her, but do it in a way to make sure she knows what she's doing and make sure she's aware of some of the dangers. If you go in all guns blazing she's unlikely to respond very well.

[Marsh.]

Rob is grooming your daughter.

[Niamh.]

I think what you have to bear in mind is that she's 16 and old enough (and, to put it bluntly, legal enough) to make her own decisions. I understand your concern but we live in a generation where social media and dating apps are the norm and at 16 she's seeing the world around her in a very different way to how she was 10 years ago. By all means have a chat with her, but do it in a way to make sure she knows what she's doing and make sure she's aware of some of the dangers. If you go in all guns blazing she's unlikely to respond very well.

Not in my house, If she's old enough to make decisions like that, is she old enough to deal with the potential consequences that come with it? If she got pregnant, is she old enough to leave school, get herself her own place and look after a child or will she expect her parents to pick up the pieces? I would be telling my daughter she wasn't allowed to use a "dating" app and she would do as she's told as long as I'm feeding, clothing, paying for her education etc etc

[Jamie89]

It's as safe as the people using it, so yes and no. If she's not meeting random strangers then I'd say it's perfectly safe* but it is primarily a dating app so most of the people using it will be looking to meet. So it just depends whether you trust her that she is just using it to make friends (you know her best but I'd be really surprised if many people would really chose to use tinder for that, it sounds like something you'd just say to your parents tbh :laugh: )

Edit: *Although actually there's also the dangers of sending people intimate pictures and those pictures being used to bully them online which happens a lot especially with people around her age.

[Niamh.]

It's as safe as the people using it, so yes and no. If she's not meeting random strangers then I'd say it's perfectly safe* but it is primarily a dating app so most of the people using it will be looking to meet. So it just depends whether you trust her that she is just using it to make friends (you know her best but I'd be really surprised if many people would really chose to use tinder for that, it sounds like something you'd just say to your parents tbh :laugh: )

Edit: *Although actually there's also the dangers of sending people intimate pictures and those pictures being used to bully them online which happens a lot especially with people around her age.

Exactly Jamie. That's the thing, people saying it's legal so she can do what she likes. Yes it's technically legal but as a parent you're supposed to be looking out for your kids and trying to stop them making mistakes that could ruin their lives. I don't mean to sound condescending at all but when you're that age I don't think you think through just what could potentially happen in situations like this. How many stories have we heard about young girls being blackmailed after sending dodgy pictures to people online, or even people committing suicide when pictures have been shared online etc

[Crimson Dynamo]

Im shocked her Mum is called Greg:shocked:

(not that there is anything wrong with gay marriage :nono:)

[Jamie89]

Exactly Jamie. That's the thing, people saying it's legal so she can do what she likes. Yes it's technically legal but as a parent you're supposed to be looking out for your kids and trying to stop them making mistakes that could ruin their lives. I don't mean to sound condescending at all but when you're that age I don't think you think through just what could potentially happen in situations like this. How many stories have we heard about young girls being blackmailed after sending dodgy pictures to people online, or even people committing suicide when pictures have been shared online etc

Yeah that's true, and it's not just about age but general inexperience in using dating apps. I've always considered myself to be sensible but I know I've made some very un-sensible decisions using apps like that :laugh: You can be sensible generally in life but if you don't know what your doing when it comes to meeting strangers and app dating is new to you etc then it's easy to get carried away and make bad choices.

[Niamh.]

Yeah that's true, and it's not just about age but general inexperience in using dating apps. I've always considered myself to be sensible but I know I've made some very un-sensible decisions using apps like that :laugh: You can be sensible generally in life but if you don't know what your doing when it comes to meeting strangers and app dating is new to you etc then it's easy to get carried away and make bad choices.

Yeah plus I just don't get why a 16 year old needs to use a dating site anyway, like they have a million people in school not to mention discos etc. I mean I can understand it for older people who might not have opportunities to meet people but come one when you're 16?

[Jamie89]

Yeah plus I just don't get why a 16 year old needs to use a dating site anyway, like they have a million people in school not to mention discos etc. I mean I can understand it for older people who might not have opportunities to meet people but come one when you're 16?

Probably not what Roger wants to hear but titillation I'd guess. And it can be exciting, getting attention etc (...and a 16 year old is probably going to get a lot of attention - from the wrong people :worry: ) I think the other thing to consider for Roger isn't just why she's using it, but why other people might be contacting her, what their intentions are etc, and if she's mature enough to deal with that attention and potential pressure they might put on her to send pictures and meet up etc

[Withano]

I dont understand why dating apps let under 16 and 17 year olds on in the first place. I cant think of a good reason why they shouldnt but its just weird to me.

[Niamh.]

Probably not what Roger wants to hear but titillation I'd guess. And it can be exciting, getting attention etc (...and a 16 year old is probably going to get a lot of attention - from the wrong people :worry: ) I think the other thing to consider for Roger isn't just why she's using it, but why other people might be contacting her, what their intentions are etc, and if she's mature enough to deal with that attention and potential pressure they might put on her to send pictures and meet up etc

Yeah exactly. I would be telling my daughter not a chance anyway. I'm constantly telling my her not to send any pictures online to anyone even if she thinks they're her friend, I hope she's heeding that advice, I think she does listen though :fc:

[Crimson Dynamo]

Whenever I read a dodgy story about some social media disaster, murder, blackmail etc i discuss it with all the LTS and try to at least point out where the danger was in that situation as its impossible to monitor what they look at and do to a degree

[Niamh.]

Whenever I read a dodgy story about some social media disaster, murder, blackmail etc i discuss it with all the LTS and try to at least point out where the danger was in that situation as its impossible to monitor what they look at and do to a degree

Yeah absolutely, it's such a tough time to be a parent, these teenage years

[Ronald.]

Im shocked her Mum is called Greg:shocked:

(not that there is anything wrong with gay marriage :nono:)


My wife';s name is Margaret.

Had a word with my daughter and asked her to unsintall it. She told me that she already has . I have to just trust her word now and keep an eye out.

Thank you for all your advice.
Ronald