Is nothing sacred? Nope.
The first rule of using the Internet should be “nothing, absolutely nothing, is completely private.” I believe there will always be some enterprising individual who will be able to find things out, break security implements, and generally hack data.
Of course, some sites are more secure than others. Some information is stored more securely and less accessible, but the Internet is still filled with loopholes, potholes, and gateways of instability and vulnerability. With the recent Apple privacy debate, it’s no wonder privacy issues are at the forefront of discussion. A new service, aimed at outing cheating partners on Tinder, also brings into question the issue of privacy.
While I’m not sure how much privacy should be expected on a dating site (remember the Ashley Maddison debacle?), Swipebuster has taken it to a whole new level. For $5, the service will use Tinder’s API to determine when and if they were swiping on Tinder. You tell them the person’s name, probable location, and hand over your money. Swipebuster will then tell you if your partner has been “cheating.”
Speaking to a deeper societal ill
Now, I know every situation is different, but perhaps the larger issue here is one of instant gratification. If you suspect your partner of cheating, shouldn’t the larger issue of why be addressed; rather than instantly hopping on to a “service” to find out if they’ve been mindlessly swiping through Tinder profiles? Swipebuster seems to speak to the larger issue of everyone being involved in everyone else’s business, especially on social media channels. Can you imagine how easy it would be for a boss to check to see if you’d been using Tinder at work from your cell? How about a jealous ex? This has the potential to create larger, more serious problems.
I love the Internet for many reasons: easy access to entire libraries, long-lost film archives, keeping in touch with friends and family, and so many other things, but this notion that everything someone does and says should be searchable, readable, and nearly public is ridiculous, in my opinion.
People have been cheating as long as people have been dating. You don’t need an app or service to tell you that. Hang on to your $5 and go out for coffee. If you’re that worried about your partner using Tinder, this service won’t solve the real issue. It will only add to it.
