Key Takeaways

If you’re in the online dating industry, then you’ve probably heard of two vocal safety advocates: the Cyber Rights Organization (CRO) and Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA). On April 8, they both got even more powerful.

The two international groups that protect the needs of the people and entities who participate in the online dating sector recently joined forces. “The alliance between CRO and ODDA is driven by a mutual commitment to user safety in the digital dating sphere,” according to the ODDA. 

The Cyber Rights Organization’s mission is rooted in ethics: “We strive for a world where the algorithmic infrastructures that run institutional, commercial, and social technologies become more transparent and accountable, allowing citizens to check them.” 

Sound too idealistic? Not to the Online Dating and Discovery Association, which hopes the collaboration will help make this bold goal a reality in the online dating sector. Given the current state of safety in the dating industry, the partnership between the Cyber Rights Organization and Online Dating and Discovery Association can’t come soon enough. 

Online dating dangers run the gamut: There are predators on dating apps, romance scammers on social media, and cybersecurity leaks on both. Online daters-turned-victims of sextortion and human trafficking often look for redress to the platform where the abuse occurred. 

How did this happen? Why wasn’t my safety a bigger concern? 

By following the revitalized safety guidelines and training materials from the two organizations, companies in the online dating sector stand to gain credibility among consumers. 

Rampant Online Dangers Necessitate Bold Solutions 

Now, the two groups are collaborating on three initiatives to educate the public about online safety and help platforms create stronger safety protocols.

“By combining CRO’s expertise in digital rights advocacy with ODDA’s industry influence, the partnership seeks to create a safer environment for users worldwide,” ODDA said on its website. 

CRO and ODDA plan on creating industry-wide safety guidelines and training materials as part of their first initiative. 

They “will jointly create comprehensive guidelines to assist online dating services in implementing effective safety measures, ensuring a secure user experience.” These safety measures include more than simple online safety tips. 

The Online Dating and Discovery Association Standards and Guidance covers data privacy, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, as well as human rights, consumer awareness, best business practices, and compliance regulations. It also provides information about key data laws in the online dating sector from all over the world. 

ODDA and CRO hold the online dating industry to high standards, which is why they are also developing training modules for ODDA members, including the platforms Match Group, Feeld, DatingLab, and happn. Training materials will cover “critical safety topics” and will eventually become part of the Online Dating and Discovery Association’s planned Training Academy. 

ODDA emphasized that holding dating platforms to high standards is one of its guiding principles: “We will work to promote the belief no dating service should act in ways that bring the dating industry into disrepute. Membership is subject to this principle.” 

While the Online Dating and Discovery Association sets high expectations for online dating platforms, the Cyber Rights Organization looks out for the people using those platforms. The organization is interested in ensuring that the online dating sector operates ethically, which is why it is collaborating with the Online Dating and Discovery Association on their third initiative: to create webinars and workshops specifically geared toward online dating safety organizations. 

“Both organizations will collaborate to host educational events addressing pertinent issues in online dating safety and ethical digital engagement,” ODDA explained. 

With these three initiatives, CRO and ODDA plan to establish industry-wide safety guidelines that safeguard consumers and companies. These efforts may separate the ethically-driven companies from the rest, sending a clear message to the dating industry and everyone who participates in it: “We care about your safety — others don’t.”