Tinder exits Russia over ‘human rights’

The company behind dating app Tinder is leaving Russia, more than a year after the invasion of Ukraine saw a wave of international companies close or suspend their Russian operations.

Match Group said on Monday that it will quit Russia by June 30 because “we are committed to protecting human rights.”

The Texas-based firm made the disclosure in its annual impact report, a summary of how the company is meeting goals on the environment, human rights and good governance.

“Our brands are taking steps to restrict access to their services in Russia and will complete their withdrawal from the Russian market by June 30, 2023,” it said.

Most major Western companies have ended or suspended their operations in protest to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, as Chinese companies expand their presence.

And as it seeks to reduce its dependence on the west, Russia has been shoring up its domestic technology sector in recent years.

Tinder’s exit also comes when Russia has been strengthening laws to regulate the tech sector, against a backdrop of growing political repression.

© 2023 AFP