Tinder encourages people to socialize with others online. It's a great way to meet a lot of people from different backgrounds, with unique personalities. You can read our comprehensive Tinder review to learn our thoughts on this classic dating app.
As great as Tinder is, you can still encounter some bad people on it. Fortunately, all social media applications allow you to block people who might seem sketchy to you. According to Bernadette Morgan, Group Product Manager of Trust & Safety on Tinder, "We’re rolling out Block Contacts as an additional resource empowering members with peace of mind by helping create a worry-free space for them to spark new connections." With this in mind, Tinder's blocking feature helps you avoid any and all bad eggs for good.
In this article, we will be talking about how to block someone on Tinder, as well as some good and bad reasons to do it. Let’s get right into it!
Reasons to Block People on Tinder
There are a few very good reasons to block certain profiles on Tinder. It is your right to stay away from anything or anyone who threatens your safety or makes you feel uncomfortable.
With that, let’s talk about some reasons why blocking a profile can be justified.
Bad behavior and harassment
When meeting new people, it's normal to put your best foot forward. You want to make a good impression because you want people to like you. This is especially true if you match with someone you think is cute, who has similar interests as you or maybe sounds witty and easy to talk to in their profile.
"Some people are open books whose distinctive personalities can be accurately perceived after a brief interaction, whereas others are harder to read," according to Lauren Gazzard Kerr, a PhD student in the Department of Psychology at McGill University when asked about first impressions on Tinder.
But you really don't have much to go on at the start. And you won't know if your first impression is the real deal or a facade unless you start chatting with them and get to know them. After some time, you might realize that they're actually rude, condescending, controlling, and just not the person you want to be with. You can end the relationship amicably, or you can permanently stop them from contacting you by blocking their profile.
Bad behavior can be subjective. But certain instances can't be tolerated. Here are some totally justifiable reasons to block someone on Tinder.
- Sexual harassment
- Aggression and dangerous threats
- Illegal activities, including drugs and excessive alcohol intake
- Racial discrimination and abuse
- Criminal activity
It is important to report such accounts before blocking them. The Tinder team needs to be notified of anyone who might violate their guidelines, so they can then subject these wrongdoers to the necessary repercussions.
Violation of Tinder guidelines
Aside from behavioral issues like violence and harassment, you might sometimes encounter an underage person pretending to be an adult. Tinder is for adults only, so if you suspect you might be talking to a child, report their account immediately and block them. You'll be protecting yourself and the kid.
Some people might also use Tinder to spread or promote their business. This includes clout chasing for followers, selling goods and soliciting, looking for sponsors (yes, that includes looking for sugar mommies and daddies), and even campaigning. Let's not forget that people go on Tinder to meet and date others, so this behavior is unexpected, unwanted, and annoying. To stop these profiles from bothering other users, simply report and block them.
Tinder also has a one-account rule, so if you ever see a duplicate or any person with multiple accounts, block them. Having multiple accounts to have more chances of matching with others is just sad and unfair.
Bottomline, Tinder is very strict with its guidelines since these help keep the community a wholesome place for people to interact with one another. With a report and a block, you can do your part in maintaining a safe online environment for all users.
Certified catfishing accounts
Catfishing is one of the most common issues in dating apps. It's when someone creates a fake profile, pretending to be somebody else who might be more good-looking, richer, smarter, and just generally more put together. They usually do this to scam money out of unsuspecting people, but they might also do it to lure you out on a date to drug you or kidnap you. The bad possibilities are endless.
How do you spot and avoid fake Tinder profiles? There are a lot of ways, but the best indicator for catfish accounts is the profile verification feature. If their profile has a check on their name, it means the profile has been verified as belonging to a real person by Tinder.
This goes without saying: be vigilant with unverified accounts. If you even suspect that you're being catfished, quickly block the account to keep yourself safe and avoid encountering it again in the future.
Apps Dating Experts Recommend If Tinder Doesn't Work Out
Tinder is great and all, but it's not for everyone. If you're tired of the endless swiping, ghosting, and gamification of your dating life, there are other options out there. Here are some of the best dating sites that might work out better for you:
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Best For Relationships
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Experience Highlights
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9
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Try eHarmony |
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Bad Reasons to Block People on Tinder
Just because you have the freedom to block anyone on Tinder, doesn't mean you should go around blocking people left and right. We've talked about the good reasons to block people on Tinder, and now we'll talk about the bad or unnecessary reasons for doing so.
You find their profile or appearance annoying.
You can simply swipe left if you don’t find them appealing enough. You don’t have to block a person just because you don’t find them attractive.
Hiding from familiar faces.
If you are hiding from someone because you don’t want them to know you are on Tinder, go anonymous instead of blocking them.
You messed up a conversation.
If you are having a bad day and messed up a potential date, don't despair and block their profile immediately. Try our Tinder tips first to salvage the situation!
How to Block a Person's Profile on Tinder
If, after carefully assessing the situation, you've decided it is best to learn how to block someone on Tinder (so you can do it again if need be), simply follow these three steps.
Step 1: Open the person’s Tinder profile.
You’ll have to open the profile of the person you want to block. You can access this through your shared chat. If you want to block someone you found while swiping, this method also works for those profiles.
Step 2: Tap on “Block [Member’s Name]”
Scroll all the way down to the profile you’re on. There should be a button that says “Block name”. Tap that to block this person’s profile on Tinder.
Step 3: Confirm by tapping on “Yes, block”
A confirmation prompt should pop up on your screen asking whether or not you’re sure about your decision. If you’re on the right profile, simply tap “Yes, block” and permanently block that person from your Tinder experience.
Swiping left whenever you encounter a suspicious person on your feed is a band-aid solution. To remove the profile from your feed for good, it is better to block it. You can even block accounts that you previously matched with, even if you've already chatted with that person.
What Happens When You Block People on Tinder?
Can you block people on Tinder? Yes, you can.
Can you unblock people on Tinder? No, you can't.
Keep in mind that blocking on Tinder is a permanent action. It cannot be undone. Blocking profiles on Tinder ensures that you won’t be seeing them anymore in the future. They won’t be able to see your profile as well. This is one of the many safety features of Tinder that makes your dating experience as wholesome and safe as possible.
Alternative Ways To Block Someone On Tinder
There are other ways to block a profile on Tinder than simply going to their profile and pressing the Block option.
Unmatching
Unmatching with someone on Tinder works the same way as blocking. You will remove the person from your conversation list and you will never see them on the app ever again. Similar to blocking, you can’t undo this feature as well so you have to be sure about it.
Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Tinder app.
- Go to your match queue by tapping the message icon in the menu bar.
- Select the Tinder user. Open the chat with the person you want to unmatch.
- To unmatch, tap the flag icon for iOS or the ellipses icon for Android users.
- Then, select Unmatch.
Blocking by uploading your contact list
If you have someone on your contact list that you want to avoid on Tinder, you can do so by doing this:
- Open the Tinder app.
- Tap the profile icon.
- Head to “Settings”.
- Scroll down and select “Block Contacts”.
- Allow Tinder to access your contacts.
- Tap the “Contacts” tab.
- Select the people you want to block.
- Tap “Block Contacts”.
The difference with this method is that you can actually unblock them as well. Simply head to the Blocked tab and you will see the list of blocked contacts. Just tap on Unblock to remove them from your blocked list.
Reporting.
Reporting works the same way as blocking, except that you get to submit your concerns to Tinder about the person’s actions. This way, not only do they disappear from your Tinder feed, but they will also be placed under review and might get banned.
Here’s how to report someone on Tinder:
Reporting someone you haven't matched with:
- Go to their profile.
- Scroll down and click "Report."
Reporting someone you're matched with:
- Access the message screen.
- Tap the shield or ellipsis icon.
- Choose "Report."
Blocking a profile on Tinder involves just three easy steps. But while you are free to block anyone you want, remember that you cannot undo this action. It might seem like a good idea to block someone now, but you might end up regretting it in the future.
So, unless you have a really good reason for blocking someone, just wipe left.
References:
Silberling, A (2021). Tinder finally adds a Block Contacts feature. Retrieved October 26, 2023, from https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/04/tinder-finally-adds-a-block-contacts-feature/
Kerr, L., Borenstein-Laurie, J., Human, L. J. (2020). Are some first dates easier to read than others? The role of target well-being in distinctively accurate first impressions. Journal of Research in Psychology. Retrieved October 26, 2023, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0092656620301069?via%3Dihub
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