Dating App Scandal: Rape Survivors File Lawsuit Accusing Hinge and Tinder of ‘Accommodating Rapists’
1. How Did the Hinge and Tinder Rape Lawsuit Begin?
In December 2025, a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday by six women who were drugged and raped or sexually assaultedsent shockwaves through the tech and legal world. The women, who remain anonymous, filed a lawsuit against Match Group, the world’s largest dating app company, accusing its popular platforms, Hinge and Tinder, of accommodating rapists across its products through negligence and a failure to act.
The US date rape survivors filed the suit following the conviction of Stephen Matthews, a Denver cardiologist who was first reported to Hinge in 2020 but allowed to continue to match with new women for years. He was ultimately sentenced to 158 years to life in prison for 35 counts involving 11 women.
The rape survivors file lawsuit accusing Hinge and Tinder of ‘accommodating rapists’, making this one of the most important legal actions involving dating apps to date.
2. Key Accusations: Are Tinder and Hinge ‘Accommodating Rapists’?
At the center of the lawsuit is the claim that Tinder and Hinge failed to protect users from a known predator. The lawsuit accusing Hinge and Tinder asserts that the dating app company of “accommodating rapists” ignored repeated reports of rape, allowed Matthews to remain active, and even promoted him as a standout profile.
This civil action states that the platforms fostered an environment that enabled rapists, failed to issue warnings, and actively recommended bad actors through algorithmic features. Matthews continued to use the apps — including Plenty of Fish, another Match Group app — using the same name, profile photos used, and birthday, even after reports were made.
The lawsuit said that despite prior reports, Matthews was still promoted, matched, and able to be assaulted by the same Denver community members.
3. Legal Barriers: How Section 230 Protects Dating Apps from Accountability
While the allegations are horrifying, the path to justice is complex. Match Group’s defense may rest heavily on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which shields online platforms from liability for user-generated content.
This legal shield has been used in prior lawsuits against large companies, such as the gay dating app Grindr. In that case, the app ruled that the platform was not liable, even though it was used as a tool to facilitate abuse.
This raises an uncomfortable reality: under current U.S. law, dating apps may be nearly immune to liability — even in horrific cases like this.
The case to the Ninth Circuit, and other decisions that followed, including the circuit and referenced their decision in Gonzalez v. Google, have further cemented these protections, making reform difficult.
4. Flaws in Dating App Safety: Design That Fails Survivors
The apps reporting project investigation found that safety tools failed at nearly every level, letting Matthews exploit loopholes to re-enter the platforms and match with and assault women.
Unmatching Before Reporting
Users on Hinge and Tinder can unmatch a person, after which the option to report disappears. This simple feature allowed rapists like Matthews to avoid accountability. The apps have a duty to make reporting persistent — and they didn’t.
Re-registering With Banned Info
Tests from the dating apps reporting project investigation revealed that even banned accounts could be remade using the same name, birthday, and profile photos. In other words, banning the accounts had little meaning.
Despite being reported for rape, Matthews was never fully banned across all match group apps, which span 190 countries.
The project investigation found that Match Group knew the scale of harm — and did little to fix it.
5. Match Group’s Response: Safety Promises vs. Reality
Match Group’s public image is polished. It has cast itself as an industry leader in deploying technology for user protection. The company said it is committed to “platforms and beyond, investing in moderation tools, AI, and verification systems.
A statement provided by spokesperson Kayla Whaling stated:
“We will always work to improve our systems and promote trust and safety for our users.”
Yet, this statement contradicts internal documents. The dating app reporting project found that Match had scaled backits safety teams, outsourced moderators, and failed to deliver on its transparency report, which was promised in 2022.
Even during the company’s earnings calls, CEO Spencer Rascoff noted that efforts to improve safety were leading to a drop in user engagement — a clear conflict between profit and protection.
6. What Users Must Know: Staying Safe on Dating Apps Like Tinder and Hinge
Given this case, what can everyday users of dating apps do?
Use Verification Features
Enable ID verification and video selfie tools where available. These features, although limited, can deter bad actors from targeting you.
Report and Document Everything
If someone crosses a boundary, report them immediately. Screenshot all messages, photos, and interactions before unmatching, especially on platforms like Tinder and Hinge, where reported for rape users can reappear with new accounts.
Meet in Safe, Public Places
Always let a friend know when and where you’re meeting. Use tools that allow you to share your location. Apps like Tinder, however, are only beginning to roll out Share My Date features.
7. Will This Lawsuit Change the Dating App Industry Forever?
The outcome of the lawsuit against Match Group could redefine legal responsibilities for online platforms. If successful, it may set new standards requiring companies to monitor, ban, and report known predators and rapists.
It may also force companies to finally publish the long-promised transparency report on the frequency of abuse and the scale of harm.
Yet, real change may only come through legislation. Some states, like Colorado, have passed new laws requiring platforms to disclose their trust and safety practices, but national reform remains slow.
Until then, the burden remains on users — a reality that survivors of dating app abuse know all too well.
Conclusion: Awareness is the First Step Toward Accountability
The story of Matthews — a Denver cardiologist, filed a lawsuit against by survivors after being reported for rape and continuing to match with and assault women — exposes glaring holes in how dating apps are run.
The date rape survivors filed a lawsuit to seek justice, but also to prevent others from becoming victims. Their story isn’t just about one man. It’s about a system designed to optimize matches — not safety.
As users, advocates, and lawmakers, it’s time we demand more from the apps we trust with our hearts, safety, and lives.
