Search icon

Life

01st Jul 2014

Founder Of Dating App Tinder Suspended For Sexual Harassment

The company has confirmed that messages containing "inappropriate content" were sent to co-founder Whitney Wolfe.

Her

The founder of popular dating app Tinder has been suspended from the company, amid claims that he sexually harassed a colleague.

According to Sky News, an investigation has been launched after co-founder Whitney Wolfe alleged that she had been subjected to abusive behaviour and received inappropriate private messages from co-founder Justin Mateen.

Wolfe has since taken legal action and claimed that Mr Mateen stripped her of her title, saying having a “24-year-old girl” as a co-founder made the company “seem like a joke”. She also alleges that he called her a “whore” in front of chief executive Sean Rad and that she was forced out of the “misogynist, alpha-male stereotype” of the company after complaining about the behaviour.

One of Tinder’s parent companies IAC has since released a statement confirming the legal action.

“Immediately upon receipt of the allegations contained in Ms Wolfe’s complaint, Mr Mateen was suspended pending an ongoing internal investigation. Through that process, it has become clear that Mr Mateen sent private messages to Ms Wolfe containing inappropriate content,” it read.

“We unequivocally condemn these messages, but believe that Ms Wolfe’s allegations with respect to Tinder and its management are unfounded.”