Over 100 million people have downloaded Tinder, and it may come at a price

By Lulu Chang January 12, 2016

tinder donwloads crime match — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Wondering where all the eligible bachelors and bachelorettes are? “Eligible” may not be an applicable qualifier across the board, but if you’re looking for men and women to mingle with, you might want to check out Tinder, which has now been downloaded over 100 million times. Apparently, “New Year New You” is loosely translated in the digital age to “New Year New Significant Other,” as January 3 marked the app’s single highest increase in user growth. Tinder, which launched in September 2012, has drawn its fair share of negative attention, but that clearly hasn’t stopped men and women from getting behind the platform en masse.

This huge influx in users comes as great news, says CEO Sean Rad, not only for Tinder, but for people in search of love (or whatever) on the platform as well. “More downloads increases the potential for making matches and creating meaningful connections,” Rad has said in the past, noting that the app will continue to improve its functionality.

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But just because everyone seems to be on Tinder these days doesn’t necessarily mean you should jump on the bandwagon. For one thing, the Telegraph notes, crimes linked to dating apps have actually increased seven-fold in the last two years alone. Last year, more than 400 offenses arising from encounters initiated through dating app usage, including rape, child sex crimes, and attempted murder, were reported to the police, and officials worry that the unreported number is far greater.

Previously, the vast majority of the dangers associated with dating apps were largely relegated to STDs and STIs, but now, there seem to be even further potential consequences. “The rising popularity of online dating apps and websites has contributed to an increase in the number of recorded crimes,” said Andy Cooke, deputy chief constable of Merseyside Police over in England, who is also the national police council’s lead on violence and public protection. “I would urge those who use online dating apps to be as security conscious as possible and not to share personal data with anyone until they are sure about those they are communicating with.”

So if you’re one of the millions new to Tinder, proceed with caution.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…

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Best Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra deals: Get Samsung’s flagship for $200

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and S Pen stylus on its screen.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the largest of Samsung’s latest phones, and to many it’s considered one of the best phones on the market. It’s a good phone to consider if you aren’t finding what you’re looking for among the best Samsung Galaxy S24 deals or best Samsung Galaxy S23 deals, as its larger size delivers more screen real estate but also sometimes more savings. There are several ways to save on a Galaxy S24 Ultra scattered across carriers and retailers, so we’ve rounded up all of the best Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra deals below. Some of them could are up there with the best phone deals, and they’re nice alternatives if the current Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra deals feel a little dated, and they price the phone nicely among all of the iPhone deals and Google Pixel 8 deals taking place right now.
Today's best Galaxy S24 Ultra deals
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra deals change frequently but below, we’ve picked out some of the best available today. These include being able to buy directly from Samsung, along with buying from other retailers and cell phone network providers. There’s something for every intention here.

: Get up to $800 of instant trade-in credit along with a choice of exclusive colors.
: Get up to $1,000 trade-in credit applied over 36 months.
: Get the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for $5 per month for 36 months with a new Unlimited Ultimate plan.
: Get the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for up to $1,100 off.
: Save $100 on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra when you trade-in your current phone.

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Strava’s latest feature aims to make outdoor exercise safer

New heatmaps for Strava.

Strava, a popular app for tracking fitness activities, is expanding its Hatmaps feature to help improve the safety of its users. The update should be especially useful now for users in the Northern Hemisphere, which is heading into winter with reduced daylight.

The new Night and Weekly Heatmaps were announced by the San Francisco-based company on Wednesday and are available to all Strava subscribers. As the name of the feature suggests, the Heatmaps show where Strava users are choosing to exercise, with dark thick lines showing well-used routes, and light thin lines showing less popular ones.

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Consumer group sues Apple for $3.8 billion over alleged iCloud monopoly

A person using the Apple iPhone 16 Plus.

Independent U.K. consumer rights association Which? has filed a massive legal claim of 3 billion British pounds (nearly $3.8 billion) against Apple, claiming it has breached competition law and locked its customers into its expensive iCloud cloud storage service. It says if the claim is successful, 40 million Apple device owners in the U.K could be entitled to money back.

If you haven’t heard of Which? before, it’s made up of two different companies. The Consumers Association, is a charity that campaigns for the protection of consumers and the understanding of consumer issues while also working to ensure businesses meet the law. The second company is Which? Limited, a website producing content and services around products to help people choose what’s best for them.