There is no doubt that there is a certain element of allure and ease that dating apps provide as they do not require you to leave the comfort of your own home. However, there are some safety implications to consider as the application affords behaviours one may not entirely understand (Murphy, 2017). The application presents a boundary flux where users do not know what is real, seemingly real and completely virtual because users self-brand and present themselves on Bumble with a combination of a few pictures and sentences. This anxiety of the boundary flux is important to pay attention to because the application affords the ability to catfish or not accurately depict/describe oneself, potentially lending to fall victim to a crime.
The socio-technical affordance of beginning to use Bumble means that users have to share their locations in order to start matching with others. In addition, in Dating Dangerously: Risks Lurking within Mobile Dating Apps, Alyssa Murphy suggests that dating apps can lead to users being a victim of “solicitation, stalking, murder, and human trafficking” (2017). Murphy argues that these crimes are made possible to predators because of the increased sophistication of geolocation technology. While the dating-app companies attempt to enhance the user experience by bettering accuracy, users become susceptible to the possibility of being tracked. Ultimately, these dangers are increased with the more social media that is linked to ones profile and the information shared through both synchronous and asynchronous online communication that the app affords. To conclude, some may perceive the safety risks of sharing their private lives online to be offset by the reward of finding a hook-up, date, or a long-term partner, however, it is vital to be aware of how much is shared and what is shared when using applications as one's life may be at risk.
The socio-technical affordance of beginning to use Bumble means that users have to share their locations in order to start matching with others. In addition, in Dating Dangerously: Risks Lurking within Mobile Dating Apps, Alyssa Murphy suggests that dating apps can lead to users being a victim of “solicitation, stalking, murder, and human trafficking” (2017). Murphy argues that these crimes are made possible to predators because of the increased sophistication of geolocation technology. While the dating-app companies attempt to enhance the user experience by bettering accuracy, users become susceptible to the possibility of being tracked. Ultimately, these dangers are increased with the more social media that is linked to ones profile and the information shared through both synchronous and asynchronous online communication that the app affords. To conclude, some may perceive the safety risks of sharing their private lives online to be offset by the reward of finding a hook-up, date, or a long-term partner, however, it is vital to be aware of how much is shared and what is shared when using applications as one's life may be at risk.
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