Hinge is taking a fairer approach to account banning

Dating app Hinge is changing how it handles rule violations, adopting a more transparent and balanced approach.

Previously, if a user broke any of Hinge’s community guidelines — even unintentionally — their entire account could be banned. Now, instead of a full ban, Hinge will flag and remove the specific content that violates its policies.

The user’s profile will stay active but hidden from the discovery feed until the issue is resolved. Hinge will also notify the user via email, push notification, and an in-app alert, clearly explaining what was flagged and how to resolve the issue.

Flagged content may include anything that:

• Is offensive, pornographic, violent, or discriminatory
• Promotes illegal activities or harmful behaviour
• Sells services or promotes a business
• Displays photos or likenesses of others without consent (especially minors)

Image Credits: Hinge

According to Jeff Dunn, Hinge’s chief risk officer, the goal is to help users correct honest mistakes while maintaining a safe environment:

“By giving daters the opportunity to update their content while remaining in good standing on Hinge, we’re delivering on our commitment to greater transparency and helping well-intentioned users better understand our policies, so they can stay focused on what matters most: making meaningful connections.”

However, Hinge notes that repeat offenders will still face complete account bans if they consistently break the rules.

This update marks a shift toward a more user-friendly moderation system, aiming to preserve trust and fairness while maintaining a safe dating community.