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A Lot Of Tinder Users Aren't Going To Be Happy About This Major Change

by Leah Degrazia
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In what's probably for the best, Tinder just announced it will no longer let people under the age of 18 use its app.

When I first heard this news, I didn't understand why this wasn't a thing already. Tinder has basically become the dating app for random hookups with strangers, and I'm not sure it's very safe for 16-year-olds to be talking to and potentially meeting up with random people at all, let alone for any sort of romantic reason.

Then, when I dug a little deeper, I realized Tinder's previous minimum age requirement was 13... Are you kidding me? I was worried about 16-year-olds when 13-year-olds have been swiping right and left this whole time? Jesus.

Anyway, the change will go into effect next week and will likely take a small toll on Tinder's estimated 50 million users, although Tech Crunch reports the group only makes up about 3 percent of app's users.

In a statement to Complex, Tinder Vice President of Communications and Branding Rosette Pambakian, said,

On a platform that has facilitated over 11 billion connections, we have the responsibility of constantly assessing our different user experiences. Consistent with this responsibility, we have decided to discontinue service for under 18 users. We believe this is the best policy moving forward. This change will take effect next week.

I can't help but wonder if this change is a response to one of the app's rising competitors, Bumble, which already doesn't allow people under the age of 18 to make accounts.

Whatever the reason, I'm just happy knowing innocent 13-year-olds will no longer be exposed to the dating abyss that is Tinder.

Citations: Complex