Evaluating Privacy & Security of Online Dating Applications with a Focus on Older Adults

Online dating is gaining traction among older adults (≥ 65 years) and the necessity of sharing personally identifiable information (PII) on these platforms continues to raise concerns, especially given the increased vulnerability of this demographic to targeted romance scams. To address these concerns, we conducted a literature review analyzing 38 peer-reviewed articles on online dating cybersecurity & privacy concerns. We found that ten of these papers addressed the issues for older adults, and a mere two delved into mobile security and data privacy management, with none providing solutions tailored specifically for older adults. Additionally, we performed a security and privacy assessment at the application level for 13 leading online dating platforms: Tinder, Grindr, Match, Bumble, OkCu-pid, eHarmony, EliteSingles, Christian Mingle, LDS Singles, SilverSingles, DateMy Age, Finally, and OurTime, which are also used by the older adults. Our analysis showcased 78 dangerous permissions requested in these apps and issues in data privacy management, particularly concerning location information, access permissions, and third-party data access.