Table of Contents
With thousands of potential matches, opening any dating app can feel like wading through a sea of spam and unwanted text messages.
But now, Hinge has made it easier than ever to avoid wasted time and toxicity by allowing users to filter out unwanted terms.
The new Hidden Words tool automatically blocks ‘Likes with comments’ that contain words, phrases or even emojis, as chosen by users.
And from ‘Sunday Roast’ to ‘F1’, Hinge users have taken to social media to share quotes and dating clichés they’re sick of hearing.
Former Twitter user One X wrote: “Finally, a dating app feature I can get behind.”
Hinge has launched a new ‘Hidden Words’ feature that allows users to filter a selection of words, phrases and emojis.
On Hinge, instead of simply liking the entire profile, users can also like a specific part, such as an image or message, and choose to add a comment that the other user can read.
The new feature, which launched this week, gives users the option to create a “Hidden Words” list.
Every time a user receives a Like with a comment containing one of these words, that message will be filtered into a separate folder.
This means that spam messages will not be added to your total likes, but will instead be stored in a “hidden likes folder.”
From there, messages can be reviewed individually or deleted without ever being opened.
Users who are filtered are not automatically blocked or reported, but you can choose to do so after reading their comments.
To set up your own hidden word list, simply navigate to the Settings tab in the Hinge app.
Under “Security,” select “Hidden Words” to bring up your own list and add terms you’d rather not hear.
Additionally, users will be able to add hidden words to their list if they report messages as inappropriate.
On X, Hinge users have welcomed the new feature, with a One commenter writes: “This new Hinge hidden words feature saves lives.”
TOAnother added: “The new Hidden Words feature on Hinge is the best thing they’ve ever done.”
While another said they were “gutted this didn’t exist when I used Hinge.”
On social media, X users welcomed the new feature, with some saying it was finally “a dating app feature I can get behind.”
To add to your own list of blocked words, go to Settings and select “Blocked Words” in the security settings.
Some called the feature a “lifesaver” and shared screenshots of the words they would like to stop hearing.
Some X users even shared their own lists of hidden words, offering a hint at what singles on Hinge are sick of hearing.
And it’s bad news for lovers of a Sunday walk and a barbecue, as these terms were at the top of the list of hidden words for some.
Anyone talking about ‘F1’, ‘Banter’, ‘Pizza’ and even ‘Clapham’ could also find themselves filtered by this new feature.
Posting a screenshot of their hidden words, one commenter shared “the only way to use the hidden words feature” while leaking the term “Pineapple on Pizza.”
Some Hinge users shared their feeling that words like ‘Sunday roast’, ‘F1’ and ‘Banter’ would be on their hidden word list.
Screenshots of users’ hidden word lists offer a unique look at the topics Hinge users hear frequently.
However, Hinge says this new feature isn’t just about avoiding conversation topics you find boring.
Instead, the Hidden Words option is designed to “help deflect a negative interaction before it starts.”
Research has previously suggested that online abuse, including on dating apps, is on the rise.
A 2021 study from the Pew Research Center found that four in 10 Americans had experienced online harassment.
The problem is particularly prevalent among women who are more likely to experience sexual harassment and for LGBTQ dating app users who are more likely to experience abuse.
Faced with this increase, other dating apps have also taken steps to reduce unwanted interactions.
In particular, Tinder has recently taken steps to improve its verification procedures to crack down on catfishing and bots.
One user even joked that “the only way to use the hidden words feature” is to block any mention of “Pineapple on Pizza.”
While social media users joked about avoiding annoying terms, Hinge says its new feature is designed to reduce abuse and unwanted interactions.
Jeff Dunn, Hinge’s vice president of trust and safety, says, “This feature aims to give daters the ability to define their boundaries, improving their confidence in the process.”
“Our hope is that with Hidden Words, users will feel confident that they can explore potential connections in the way they are most comfortable, leading to safer and more satisfying dating experiences.”
While Hinge claims this is the first time a dating app has offered this feature, it is not the first company to offer selective filtering for its users.
Instagram first allowed users to filter offensive terms from posts in 2016 before expanding the option to direct messages.
After Hinge made its announcement, Meta also added its own ‘Hidden Words’ feature to Threads, allowing users to mute words, phrases, and emojis.
This feature applies to your ‘Following’ and ‘For You’ feeds, as well as your search results, replies, and profile searches.
Additionally, Threads is experimenting with options to control who can quote your post and giving users the option to “unquote” their own posts.
Like Hinge, Meta claims that these features aim to reduce the number of unwanted interactions.