A judge has dismissed conspiracy and kidnapping charges against five Massachusetts college students who were accused of plotting to lure a man to their campus through a dating app and then seizing him as part of a “Catch a Predator” trend on social media.

In the predigital age, meeting a romantic partner often required boldly approaching someone, initiating conversation, and exchanging phone numbers.

Five Massachusetts college students have appeared in court, accused of plotting to lure a man to their campus through the Tinder dating app and then seizing him as part of a “Catch a Predator” trend on TikTok.

Australia’s government says a code of conduct will be enforced on the online dating industry to better protect Australian users after research found that three-in-four people suffer some form of sexual violence through the platforms.

After the date arrived, Johnson approached his car while carrying a 1-gallon water jug and asked him for money to fix her vehicle, an affidavit shows.

The use of dating apps in the last 18 months of the pandemic has surged around the globe.

The activism from smaller rivals adds to scrutiny the tech giants are facing from U.S. and European regulators and lawmakers. Apple is the group's main target, though Google's app store policies are also on its radar. Both companies this summer dropped the popular game Fortnite from their app stores after the game’s developer introduced a direct payment plan that bypasses their platforms. In addition to the app stores, Big Tech is facing fresh scrutiny from antitrust regulators. Lawmakers and consumer advocates accuse Google of abusing its dominance in online search and advertising to stifle competition and boost its profits.

The name of the game is lovebug mating season, and they've picked your car as their latest Tinder meetup.