LABOUR and conservative politicians have teamed up to tackle dating apps which could be leading people to flout social distancing.

Labour’s Lloyd Russell-Moyle and Conservative Joe Miller are concerned Tinder and Grindr might be contributing to the spread of coronavirus, as people meet up despite the scientific advice and government regulations.

To limit the spread of Covid-19 and ease the pressure on the NHS, strict new measures were introduced on Monday which limited the reasons people were allowed outside.

In a message the dating apps, the Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown and Joe Miller, a Conservative councillor who ran against Mr Russell-Moyle in the 2019 election, have written an open letter in a bid to get warnings about social distancing on the apps.

They also want the companies to “consider suspending their map and location sharing function”.

It reads:

Dear Social Media, Dating and Meet up companies,

We write as elected politicians from Brighton and Hove’s two of the main political parties (Labour and Conservative parties) together to call on dating sites to do more to stop the spread of Covid-19 in Brighton and Hove and across the country.

Brighton and Hove has a reputation for being a social city, we pride ourselves on being able to have a good time and throw a party but we as elected officials in the city we know we need to put that reputation on hold in order to save lives.

We recognise that at this time people will be rightly using social media, and particularly dating apps (such as Tinder or Grinder); and social meet up apps (such as Meet Up) to keep social interaction going, whilst staying safe. This is important for people’s mental health and well-being.

We know that humans are social beings and social contact is vital, but during the lock down we must enable people to do this online and safely and preserving household and social distancing rules. We are concerned that some people might find the use of dating and meet up apps an encouragement to meet up in person and break the household or social distancing rules.

We note that the Deputy Medical Officer clarified on Tuesday that those dating in different households should consider moving in and/or making themselves a joint household or consider dating in different ways. This is much harder for single people, but everyone must ensure that they are not creating a web of interaction and breaking isolation, household and social distancing rules. The social media companies must support their users in this.

We note that many of these apps currently have some warnings or guides on how to enjoy oneself online. We believe; however, these apps must do more explicitly to push people into only having fun, chats and meet ups online, not in person and not breaking household or social distancing rules.

We are writing this open letter to call on companies to put in place much stronger and clearer warnings that app users should not meet up in person and break the governments household and social distancing advice, until government rules are relaxed. We call on the apps to consider suspending their map and location sharing function, which enables some of this physical contact to occur with ease. If companies fail to act, we believe the government should take further steps.

We appreciate all that you are currently doing, and believe that most people using dating, or meet up apps are doing so responsibly, and safely enjoying social contact online. We hope that this call will be taken in the sprit its intended to help support keeping everyone safe and happy.

Yours truly,

Councillor Joe Miller (Rottingdean Councillor and former Conservative Candidate for Brighton Kemptown 2019)

Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP (Labour and Co-operative Member of Parliament for Brighton, Kemptown)

Tinder, Grindr and MeetUp have been contacted for comment.

  • The coronavirus Sussex Crisis Fund has been set up to help those affected by the pandemic. The Argus’s charity and American Express have each donated £50,000 to kick-start the appeal.  Grants will usually be for up to £5,000. More information is available at www.sussexgiving. org.uk/apply. To donate visit www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/sussexcrisisfund​