Dating Etiquette: OkCupid Trying To Curb Unsolicited Sexual Photos With New Pledge

OkCupid is reminding its users they’re “better than a dick pic.” In an effort to curb unwanted sexual images from being sent to others, the platform announced this week its special pledge for members.

This is what the agreement says:

“We want OkCupid to be safe and enjoyable for everyone. People sending harassing or unwanted sexually explicit messages will be banned.”

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To take the pledge, members must tap “I Agree” on the screen, which pops up after downloading the latest version of the OkCupid app.

“It may seem simple, but we’re the first dating app to incorporate a pledge that directly urges members to act courteously and kindly — and we think it’s a pretty big deal,” said OkCupid in a blog post.

A survey last year said 61 percent of women received unwanted sexually explicit images, while 40 percent said they received it more than once. The platform said it's reminding users of proper “dating etiquette.”

“While we rely in large part on our iconic questions to create potentially meaningful connections, it’s the people on either end of the app who ultimately have to cultivate a spark,” OkCupid CEO Elie Seidman said in a statement. “With the Member Pledge, we’re putting the power in our daters’ hands. This new feature reminds our members that, if you wouldn’t say it to someone you just met at a bar, you shouldn’t be saying it online.”

Many other apps agree to Terms & Conditions when joining a platform. For example, Tinder writes in its Terms that members should not “post any Content that is hate speech, threatening, sexually explicit or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence.”

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However, OKCupid points out that nobody reads the fine print and some people don’t really understand it. Because of that, the platform is putting the pledge out there in full-screen, with big letters. OkCupid said it wants members to take a minute and “think about how you connect with other people online."

Now, the question remains as to whether the pledge will actually stop users from sending unwanted sexually explicit photos. However, the platform is hopeful. OkCupid pointed out a study by psychologist Belisa Vranich which found 93 percent of men would not send harassing messages if they agreed to a pledge that they wouldn’t.

That high number gives the platform optimism about the pledge’s effectiveness.

“It asks you not to dump your junk in their yard — pardon the pun,” Vranich, who worked with OkCupid on the new feature, said in a statement about the pact. “The pledge is specific and informs you that this is an agreement between you, other members, and an entire company that prides itself on working tirelessly to be female-friendly.”

Those who have an OkCupid account, can agree to the pledge starting today.