Match Group has removed or suspended 660,000 accounts across its portfolio of dating platforms over the past year, according to its first transparency report since Australia’s voluntary dating app safety code took effect in October 2024 and was fully enforced by this year.
The figures show that while the majority of removals were linked to scams and spam – accounting for more than 610,000 accounts, most of them fake – platforms also took significant action against users engaged in abusive and harmful behavior. Nearly 11,000 accounts were banned for abuse or harassment, while a further 11,500 were removed over “off-platform misconduct,” including allegations of harassment, sexual exploitation, and financial harm. More than 2,000 accounts faced enforcement for violence or hate-related conduct.
In total, Match Group received 34,300 complaints of abuse and harassment, nearly 50,000 related to off-platform misconduct, and 18,860 concerning violence and hate. The company also fielded 71 legal orders, nearly half of which concerned off-platform misconduct. Tinder accounted for the bulk of inquiries, including several tied to harassment and abuse cases.
Yoel Roth, Match Group’s head of trust and safety, acknowledged the ongoing challenges in moderating such a vast ecosystem. “Millions of interactions happen on our platforms every day. While the vast majority of those interactions are positive, sometimes things don’t go as they should,” he said, adding that the firm is investing heavily in new technologies and expert partnerships to improve safety.
The release of the report comes as the eSafety Commissioner reviews the effectiveness of the voluntary code. Regulators have warned that government intervention may follow if platforms fail to demonstrate sufficient progress on user protection.
