Bumble dating app targeted by white supremacists

Cyber war has a new weapon: Your smartphone
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A prominent dating app, Bumble, on Thursday sent an email to users asking them to report hate speech or hate symbols in user profiles, including neo-Nazi symbols such as swastikas.

The company also said it has recently been targeted by “groups with white supremacist affiliations.”

“Last week, a neo-Nazi media site published an article to their community urging them to call and email our team with harassing statements, given Bumble’s stance towards promoting women’s empowerment,” according to the email.

Bumble’s business model matches users but requires the female user to communicate first.

{mosads}“While we support freedom of speech, we don’t support abusing that freedom to harm, bully, or attack people online,” the letter said.

“If you experience these conversations or see hate symbols in a user’s profile, please use the block and report’ feature in app so our moderation team can ban the user,” the email continued.

The company is partnering with the Anti-Defamation League to use its hate symbol database in order to police user profiles.

Earlier on Thursday, another dating app — OKCupid — revoked the membership of Chris Cantwell, a known white supremacist.

“If any OkCupid members come across people involved in hate groups, please report it immediately,” the company tweeted.

Tags Bumble OkCupid Online dating services

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