SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Changes are coming to online dating apps in Utah as a new law takes effect on Jan. 1, aimed at making apps safer for Utahns to use.

H.B. 18, otherwise known as the Online Dating Safety Amendments, would require dating apps and services such as Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge to give Utahns several disclosures and advisories to help keep them safe while searching for “the one.”

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The bill was introduced during the 2023 General Session by State Rep. Angela Romero (D-Salt Lake City) and State Sen. Wayne Harper (R-Taylorsville). It passed through the Utah Legislature and signed by Gov. Spencer Cox in March.

A 2022 study published by Brigham Young University found that dating apps in Utah were dangerous if not used safely. According to the study, a shocking 14% of date rape victims met their rapist on a dating app and were raped during their first in-person meeting.

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Students at BYU told ABC4 at the time of the study they had mixed feelings about dating apps. Students either didn’t feel safe using dating apps or felt they were safe so long as they went about it the right way with precautions, such as meeting in a public space.

The bill that goes into effect in 2024 hopes to help Utah users go about dating online safely with those precautions in mind.

Under the bill, apps will be required to give several advisories and warnings about protecting personal information, such as home addresses, phone numbers, places of work, and other identifying information. These warnings may also provide safety tips when meeting someone in person for the first time, such as letting a close friend or family member know ahead of time and meeting at a public place without leaving for a second location.

Dating apps will have to alert Utahns about any potential background checks on its members. If the app doesn’t do a background check, the new law will require apps and websites to let its Utah members know that a background check was not completed. If the app does do background checks on its members, they will be required to let Utah members know if the check comes back with a criminal history, with the caveat that a check may be inaccurate or incomplete.

If anyone is banned from using the dating app service, the provider will have to alert Utah members if they received and responded to a message from a banned member.

The Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) said more than 40 million Americans use online dating services and apps. As most apps don’t conduct background checks, RAINN provided several tips to stay safe online, including:

• Using different photos on your dating profile from your usual social media accounts

• Checking a potential date on social media

• Blocking, reporting, and avoiding suspicious profiles and users

• Video chat before meeting in person

• Meet in public and rely on your own transportation

• Trust your instincts

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