UW researchers hoping new online map will help to ‘swipe right’ safer
Posted Mar 11, 2026 10:13:33 AM.
Last Updated Mar 11, 2026 12:34:18 PM.
A new interactive online map developed by researchers at the University of Waterloo is pushing to help people navigate the often unsafe and uncomfortable world of dating apps.
The online resource looks into the specific details of 30 different dating apps, including Hinge, Tinder, Match, Zoosk, Bumble and more.
“The Safety Map is an interactive tool that helps people better understand and navigate safety, risk and support when using dating apps,” said Dr. Diana Parry, professor in the Faculty of Health and lead researcher on the project.
It goes into a variety of details around the popular apps, diving into the various avenues in which possible dangers and safety risks could be present. Those centre around account creation, profile set-up, app use, and listed safety features.
“The Safety Map translates lived experiences into a public-facing resource that helps users anticipate risks, identify supports and make informed decisions,” Parry said. “It shifts safety away from something individuals are expected to figure out on their own to something that can be collectively understood.”
The information was gathered through research into the apps’ policies, listed features, as well as “in-depth interviews with 48 dating app users across Canada.”
“We were struck by how normalized unsafe or uncomfortable experiences had become and by the amount of unpaid emotional labour users, particularly women, require to stay safe,” Parry stated. “Many participants described this as exhausting and unsustainable, which helps explain growing swipe fatigue and disengagement from dating apps.”
According to a release, the team said participants described various and repeated experiences of unwanted sexual messages, boundary violations, and emotional fatigue through the use of dating apps.
The online map hopes to create an accessible tool for public use, being “especially useful for communities that experience disproportionate safety risks in digital dating spaces.”
“Dating apps are now a routine part of everyday leisure and social life, yet many users, particularly women and gender-diverse people, experience harassment, boundary violations and uncertainty about how to respond or where to seek support. Our work addresses that gap by making safety knowledge visible, practical and accessible.”
According to the team, hundreds of millions of people use dating apps worldwide, with younger adults between the ages of 18 and 34 being the most active users.
They said one in three people in Canada have reported using a dating app, with 47 per cent of those identifying as women, which the team said demonstrates the level of integration those apps have reached in modern society.
The online map can be found and accessed on CODER’s Safety Map for Dating Apps website.
