For some social networks, a push to protect LGBT users abroad

For gay men in the dozens of countries that criminalize their sex lives, social networking can be a blessing and a curse. High-tech dating apps and social media have enabled countless men to expand their circles of friends and lovers in settings that are hostile to any overt trace of homosexuality. Yet that same technology they gratefully embrace can expose them to the risks of blackmail, arrest and violence. Grindr announced steps this month to reduce the risks for users in countries with a record of anti-gay violence—including Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Liberia, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

I think you’ll see both the users and the apps getting smarter. It takes both sides.

Eric Silverberg, CEO of dating site SCRUFF

Another globally popular gay dating app, SCRUFF, also has taken steps to address security concerns. SCRUFF’s CEO, Eric Silverberg, said recent technical modifications enable users to continue learning about other users in their vicinities, but seek to thwart any entrapment efforts by refraining from listing the users in order of their proximity. According to human rights groups, there are more than 70 countries that criminalize gay sex. Gay bars and social clubs either don’t exist or operate covertly in such places, which makes dating apps a tempting method for making contacts.

Technology LGBT rights