Carl Sheppard, creator of new swingers’ app Pineapple said, “Other [swinging] sites are rife with bucket loads of fake profiles… It’s scary, I don’t like it at all”.
According to a 2022 BBC survey, 33 percent of dating app users have experienced either harassment or abuse by someone they met on a dating app. However, this rising issue of harassment on dating apps is being addressed in a new app set to be released in June.
Pineapple is specifically designed by swingers for swingers to encourage interaction between like minded people. But Sheppard’s main motivation is user safety.
“My biggest aim is to allow a safe place for female swingers in particular.”
Having experienced ‘bucket-loads’ of fake accounts and disingenuous people on dating apps for the last 17 years, he says it makes it difficult for the ‘genuine, lovely swingers’ in the community to be found.
“My aim [for Pineapple] is for it to be bang up to date, social, interactive and most of all, it’s got to be safe for women – that’s paramount to me,” Sheppard said. To achieve this, staff have been employed to carry out manual verifications on every new Pineapple user via photo identification to ensure only genuine people interested in the swinger lifestyle are admitted.
Following verification, all personally identifiable information is destroyed, ensuring safety and discretion for its users. “If you look fake, you’re not getting in. It’s as simple as that. I want to keep it as safe as I possibly can for everybody.”
An investigation carried out by The Telegraph earlier this year found there had been more than 8,000 reported predatory offences on dating apps since the start of 2017.
This surge in complaints on common dating apps, and the slow complaint follow-ups in some cases, Sheppard is set to enforce astringent processes to protect victims of harassment or abuse.
Reported members who have been found in violation of the app’s policy will have their account banned temporarily. If they are reported three times, or if their first violation is severe, they will have their app access revoked permanently.
In addition to providing a safe and supportive environment, Pineapple aims to lift the taboo on swinging and encourage more people to explore the lifestyle.
With an estimated 1.5 million people in the UK participating in swinging, it’s a lifestyle that is becoming increasingly popular. Pineapple aims to connect individuals and couples from all walks of life, regardless of their sexual preferences.
“The swingers community is going to absolutely love it, and I just can’t wait for it to come out… This is a snowball right now, and it’s going to turn into an avalanche,” Sheppard said.
Pineapple will be live from June this year, but more than 2000 users have already signed up in anticipation for the app’s launch. To learn more about Pineapple and sign up for the prelaunch, visit https://thepineapple.app/.
