The Teens Slipping Through the Cracks on Dating Apps Although these platforms say they are doing what they can to keep kids under 18 off, they aren’t succeeding. By Moises Mendez "When dating apps started becoming popular in the early 2010s, many people feared that seeking romance on the internet might be dangerous. Since then, online dating has become a normal part of how adults find new relationships. Still, one uncomfortable aspect of these apps remains mostly unaddressed: the ease with which underage users can create profiles and risk being preyed on by adults. I would know; I was one of them. I found my way to Grindr at 16, chatted with older men, and later met my first boyfriend, who was in his early 20s, when I was just 17. In my reporting, I’ve come to realize not only how common this type of experience is but also how ineffective apps have been at preventing minors from joining." [https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/06/teens-minors-using-dating-apps-grindr/661187/?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_medium=social&utm_content=edit-promo&utm_term=2022-06-06T21%3A29%3A07](https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2022/06/teens-minors-using-dating-apps-grindr/661187/?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_medium=social&utm_content=edit-promo&utm_term=2022-06-06T21%3A29%3A07)