New hook-up app TapDat has seen downloads soar as its consent-led interface is attracting thousands of adults placing mutual respect and consent at the forefront of sexual connections. The app is up over 100% on downloads and daily use in the last month.

The hook-up app, which is available free for download on iOS here and Android here, has been created for adults looking for casual dating, from chatting online and sexting to meeting up in person. TapDat is proud of its safe and open pro-sex stance and has embedded consent in every aspect of the app, from features to reporting.

Alice Leach, TapDat’s Creative Director, says consent is a non-negotiable for the app and wants people to address it openly and in all aspects of human interactions.

“Consent is a hot topic of conversation right now, and rightfully so. It’s something we at TapDat feel passionately about, which is why when we designed the app, we continually discussed consent and the way we approach it in-app. We expect constant consideration and consent-based behaviour. It’s a non-negotiable in our space, and we believe this should be the norm. It’s been fantastic for us to see just how many people resonate with TapDat’s ethos and want to be part of our community.

“We believe education around consent is vital, even now in 2022, and it’s the responsibility of the whole community. From enforcing consent-based exchanges in platonic relationships, how we treat colleagues and friendships, to how we talk about sex and dating in any setting.

“The biggest failure we can make is to shy away from the conversation or see consent as ONLY sex based. While its intrinsic in all parts of sexual relationships, consent plays a part in almost every human interaction. The more ubiquitous it is in all our behaviours, the better.”

TapDat developers have installed a range of safety features to help protect its community, including a proactive screening process – users have to consent to accepting all messaging features when someone contacts them, including images. Instead of a message instantly showing up, the app has installed a feature which shows a user wants to chat, but not the content of the message. From there, users can view the person’s profile, tap ‘no thanks’ to chatting, or tap ‘sure!’ if they consent to the communication.

The app has also installed ‘thread privacy preferences’ where users have to actively opt in and consent to receiving images, locations, or audio from a chat they are in, as opposed to opting out. These options can be toggled at any time.

The app’s reporting process has been designed to be extremely thorough. Users can report others for a number of reasons, including ‘I no longer want to see this profile’, ‘unwanted intimate photos’, ‘ghosting’, ‘catfishing’, and ‘unsolicited requests for photos’.

When signing up with an email or mobile number, users are shown a grid of people to connect with and can choose to view their profile and find out more about them, from their age, body type, and relationship status to their kinks and interests, and even information on when they last tested for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Users can send messages, pictures, and audio messages to each other and can also easily mark that they are interested in hooking up with another user by tapping the fishhook icon.

The app also has the option for fully verified profiles and a comprehensive reporting system. Users are also reminded in-app of how to stay safe with pop-ups and helpful tips. The safety centre is a hub of tips and information, and includes topics like dating in real life, app safety tips, and consent 101.