As promised in our last article, in this article we will be discussing how SolDate is aiming to solve major problems with the online dating industry. Let’s dive in!
1.Securing User Data
Dating apps and online dating have become the only options for finding love during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while some users are finding love online, others are finding heartbreak and an unlucky few are finding something much worse.
Just as the use of dating apps and websites has found their way into the hearts of lonely users on lockdown, they have also come to the attention of crafty hackers. Although the internet and apps are the safest way to date at the moment, there are still several risks and dangers associated with them. Users must be aware of catfishing, data thefts and online stalking, while the platforms themselves bring additional concerns, like data breaches and unpatched vulnerabilities that can very easily put users’ data in the wrong hands.
What is data protection, and why is it important?
With the increase in user-generated data and the exponential industrial value of data, it’s becoming vital that all the companies should take necessary steps to protect the data rights of their users. Data protection ensures the security of individuals’ personal data and regulates the collection, usage, transfer, and disclosure of the said data. It also provides accountability measures for organizations processing personal data and supplements it by providing remedies for unauthorized and harmful processing.
How SolDate will secure user data:
Firstly, we need to know what data will SolDate collect?
SolDate will collect only the first name, a photo for the profile picture and birth date of a user. You no longer have to submit your profiles from other social media networks or your address and phone numbers as this information is indirectly beneficial to stalkers.
Securing Data has a simple solution: using decentralized data storage instead of a centralized one.
The real issue with centralized providers like Amazon S3 is all of your data resides in huge data centers. If a part of Amazon’s network goes down, you won’t be able to access your data at best, and at worst, your data could be permanently lost or damaged. Large data centers are also vulnerable to hackers, as we’ve seen time and time again. With decentralized cloud storage, end-to-end encryption is standard on every file-each file is encrypted on a user’s computer before it’s uploaded, broken into pieces, and then spread out to uncorrelated Nodes across the network.
Currently there are more than 20 decentralized storage providers available in the Crypto and Blockchain space, we will choose the best fit for SolDate among others.
Using a decentralized storage will ensure that no single entity controls user data and avoid possible hacking attacks and misuses.
2. Avoiding Privacy Violations
Dating apps and sites are party to some of our most intimate communications. For most of us, it’s not a secret that our personal data is constantly being collected by apps and websites. Beyond wondering if our data is collected, the question of how it’s used has a much more impactful answer — but it is probably not what you want to hear.
In simple terms, websites and apps can sell the data they collect to organizations to make a profit. In turn, these organizations are capable of using this data to target the advertisements that you are exposed to, so that ads are more personal and you are more likely to make purchases. Also, they can use the data for increased surveillance. These are unfair consequences of simply owning a phone or using the internet, to prevent tracking and surveillance, it is necessary to understand the big picture.
The world of advertising is different now than it was fifteen years ago. With most people using streaming services, fewer people see live television commercials. Because cell phones are carried everywhere and are in constant use, marketers have adjusted to basing their advertisements off of where we live, where we go and what we do.
SolDate is designed to be a self-sustainable platform and doesn’t need to partner with any third parties for profits. There will be no advertisements and hence there will be no privacy violating trackers. This will serve a dual purpose of avoiding Privacy Violations and avoiding disturbing advertisements.
3. Lies and Fake profiles
Have you ever heard of a word called ‘Catphishing’?
Although online dating sites have the potential to bring great happiness into the lives of their customers, there is a darker side as well: scammers abuse these services to their nefarious ends, leading to heartbreak both emotionally and financially for the scammers’ victims.
In fact, around 1 in 10 online dating profiles are fake, with “romance scams” garnering nearly 50 million dollars per year in total. This isn’t only a problem with online dating profiles. All told, 60% of all online profiles are either inactive or faked. Scammers will use any tool that they have available to trick you into sharing sensitive information or giving them money.
How SolDate will eliminate fake profiles:
1.AI based live human verification:
SolDate will implement an AI based live human verification process at the time of user registration. This will ensure that the person is real, herself and registering with own consent.
Considering the uniqueness of a human face, no person will be able to create multiple accounts and misrepresent herself.
2. Allowing only live photo as profile picture
SolDate will not allow users to upload profile pictures from their photos folder or photo roll. Instead users will need to take a photo on the spot with the device camera.
Users are free to upload other additional photos (if they want to) from their device folders.
4.Personal safety issues
Connecting virtually has risks, but it can be a fun and low-pressure way to meet potential matches if the platform you are using has a system for addressing safety issues. In this case we’ve got you covered with,
1.Messenger and Virtual calling
SolDate will have an inbuilt messaging app which can only be accessed after users are matched with each other. All messages will be end-to-end encrypted and no one can read them except the participants. As messages are end-to-end encrypted, we will not have any control over what the users are sharing with each other hence we suggest to avoid sharing any sensitive information like address and office locations.
In case any user is feeling unsafe about sharing his/her phone number with another user, they can call each other through SolDate Messenger without sharing their phone numbers.
2. Buddy System
SolDate will Implement a buddy system, whereby the user sets a trusted friend to receive details of the dates they organise through the app, including time, location and the contact information of their matches.
3. Restriction on screenshots
Many online daters are known to share their conversation and other sensitive information about their matches through screenshots. SolDate will not allow users to capture any screenshots while using the app.
4. An isolated system from other social networks
SolDate will not partner with any of the other social media networks for sharing user data. It ensures that no one will be able to search our user’s profiles through search engines or other social networks and ultimately protects our users from unnecessary stalkers.
5.VR-3D support
A Virtual Date will be a perfect solution if a user is feeling unsafe about going on a date with a stranger they met online for the first time. This will also help to ensure that the person you matched with is the same person you are planning to meet.
6. Partnerships with reputed Hotels and travelling agencies
While scheduling a date users can choose our trusted parties to travel and stay. And in case of any emergency or misconduct they will be ready to help. Reservations will be facilitated through SolDate app.
7.Block and report suspicious users:
An user can block and report another user if you feel their profile is suspicious or if they have acted inappropriately toward you. As with any personal interaction, it is always possible for people to misrepresent themselves. Trust your instincts about whether you feel someone is representing themself truthfully or not. SolDate moderation team will take it seriously and possibly terminate other user’s accounts.
Now comes the difficult part:
All the above problems have solutions based on technology and our creativity but
We are well aware of the fact that technology can only verify a user’s appearance and outer specifications. For understanding a user’s nature and behavioral threats to other users, SolDate will implement psychological tests based on categories like emotional status, character, self-perception and conflict resolution. These tests will help us identify possible red flags and threats to the community.
Thanks for reading and happy to answer any questions through our social media handles.
