Tinder to debut panic button for when users feel unsafe

Tinder will debut a feature later this month that will allow users to hit a panic button if they feel physically unsafe on a date gone wrong, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Why it matters: Critics have previously called out Tinder for not doing more to ensure the safety of users and filtering out possibly dangerous users, especially following reports of sexual assaults after connections made via the app.

The big picture: Tinder's parent company, Match Group, has invested in the app Noonlight, which tracks the location of users and alerts authorities when there are safety concerns.

• "Tinder's move shows how some online platforms are investing more in the physical safety of users, while also highlighting the privacy trade-offs that often entails," the Journal writes.

How it works: Users will be able to put a badge on their profile that shows they use Noonlight's services. They will also be able to log information about their meet-ups ahead of time, such as when and where they take place.

Go deeper:

• Dating apps, menstrual trackers accused of violating European data privacy law
• Axios Deep Dive: The gamification of courtship