MAM
Tinder adds New Safety Feature: In-App Alert for LGBTQ+ Users when in Hostile Territories
India: Tinder, the world’s most popular app for meeting new people, today announced a new safety feature, Traveler Alert. The feature is designed to protect and inform members of the LGBTQ community from the inherent risk of using dating apps in the nearly 70 countries that still have discriminatory laws effectively criminalizing LGBTQ status. The Traveler Alert will appear when the app is first opened in one of these countries to educate and warn users about the potential dangers LGBTQ people face. This update further strengthens the brand's focus on keeping all its users safe.
As part of the update, users who identify as LGBTQ will no longer automatically appear on Tinder when they open the app in these countries. Once the alert is activated, users will have the choice to remain hidden while in that location or opt into making their profile public so that they can connect with new people. In the latter case, if a user has added sexual orientation or gender identity to their profile, the app will automatically take the step to remove this information to safeguard users from law enforcement agencies and individuals who may target them. The alert will appear when users are on the ground in these countries, as well as if they are using Tinder’s Passport feature to connect with users in any location in the world. Once users have left the country or changed their location, then they will be visible again on the app.
Taru Kapoor, GM-India, Tinder and Match Group says, “Inclusivity and acceptance are core values at Tinder and drives all our efforts. Everyone is welcome on Tinder- regardless of gender identity and orientation and the safety and security of our users is also of paramount importance to us. The Tinder Traveler Alert combines these values, ensuring that our LGBTQ+ users are aware of the necessary precautions they need to take in countries that are hostile towards gender and sexual orientations outside the binary. This alert is an example of the many steps that we are taking to protect our users around the world, and is an extension of our many efforts to facilitate better connections for LGBTQ+ users in India.”
Tinder collaborated with ILGA World, sourcing data from their latest State-Sponsored Homophobia report, to help establish where the alert should be deployed. If users are served the warning and would like to learn more, they will be directed to ILGA World’s 2019 resources focused on sexual orientation laws.
“We hope that this development will raise awareness amongst all Tinder users, and help protect people of diverse sexual orientations in the 69 countries around the world that currently still criminalise same-sex love,” said André du Plessis, Executive Director at ILGA World. “We support Tinder’s dedication to improving security features for their users. We work hard to change practices, laws and attitudes that put LGBTQ people at risk – including the use of dating apps to target our community – but in the meantime, the safety of our communities also depends on supporting their digital safety.”
In addition to its Traveler Alert, Tinder has launched a number of updates and efforts in support of the LGBTQ community over the last year. With the help of India’s oldest LGBTQ organization, The Humsafar Trust and LGBTQ author and inclusion advocate, Parmesh Shahani, the app released 23 More genders. This was followed by the launch of a new Sexual orientations feature, which gives users another way to express sexuality and have more control over potential matches.
MAM
MSM Unify appoints Rohit Kumar to lead India campus business
Ex CollegeDekho COO to drive partnerships, scale campus engagement in India.
MUMBAI: From classrooms to boardrooms, the campus playbook is getting a new chief architect. MSM Unify has appointed Rohit Kumar as founding member and president of its India Campus Business, signalling a sharper push into one of the world’s fastest-evolving higher education markets. In his new role, Kumar will oversee the company’s India business vertical, taking charge of institutional partnerships, campus engagement strategy and domestic growth. The mandate is clear: build scalable, technology-led models that connect Indian universities and colleges with global academic and career pathways, while staying grounded in local campus realities.
Kumar brings over 24 years of experience across telecom, IT services and education technology, an unusually broad mix that mirrors the convergence shaping modern education platforms. Most recently, as co-founder and COO of Collegedekho, he helped scale the business into a Rs 300 crore enterprise, delivering a 67 per cent CAGR over five years and building partnerships with more than 2,000 institutions nationwide.
That growth journey also saw the platform expand into adjacent verticals including learning, marketing services and overseas education, backed by multiple funding rounds from investors such as Girnarsoft, ADQ, ETS and Man Capital.
Earlier in his career, Kumar held senior roles at companies including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Sify Technologies, Indiatimes and Videocon, where his work spanned revenue growth, operational efficiency and market expansion across key regions including Maharashtra.
His appointment comes at a time when India’s higher education ecosystem is undergoing structural shifts driven by digitisation, global mobility and increasing demand for outcome-linked education. For MSM Unify, the opportunity lies in bridging domestic institutions with international pathways through a more integrated, tech-enabled approach.
As the race to own the student journey intensifies, Kumar’s task will be less about building from scratch and more about connecting the dots between campuses, careers and a rapidly globalising education economy.
