Tinder's location-tracking feature is spooky: Details here
Tinder is developing a new feature called Places that tracks your location and allows potential matches to see where you've been. The feature aims at increasing the chances of getting matched based on common locations that both parties might frequent and allowing users to come across their real-life missed connections. The feature will be opt-in and users will be able to switch it off.
It will highlight places you've visited but not in real-time
Places shouldn't be confused with a check-in feature where you choose to broadcast the places you are at. Instead, it continuously tracks your location and determines what should be used to populate your "visited places" map. It will filter out places like clinics, banks, and workplace that don't qualify as social spots. A place won't be added to your map until after you've left.
Tinder will look for location trends to show better matches
Further, all your recent places will expire on the map after 28 days and won't be visible to potential matches. However, Tinder itself will keep your location history to improve the product. Through it, the company wants to learn which places lead to matches and which places would users manually delete from their maps. Another level of snooping, you'd say?
Putting data into the hands of potential stalkers
Tinder will end up with massive amounts of location data which the company could commercialize and make a business out of in the future. Further, the feature will also allow stalkers and harassers to narrow down the parts of the city you frequent.
