Match Group, a US company that controls some of the largest dating apps in the world, including Tinder and Hinge, will suspend its operations in Russia, as a result of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Match Group said its apps are already restricting access for users in Russia and that the full block will be effective by June 30.
Already more than a year ago, immediately after the invasion of Ukraine, several international companies, not just technological ones, had taken similar decisions, blocking their services or abandoning the Russian market. Match Group’s decision was announced in the company’s annual report on Tuesday and cites a desire to “protect human rights” as the reasoning. Match Group, which controls apps other than Tinder and Hinge, has about 2,700 employees worldwide.