‘Let’s talk consent’: Dating platform Tinder launches self-learning course aimed at young adults

 

New Delhi: Recognising red, green and grey flags in relationships and navigating interactions with safety and respect are now part of a new online course on “consent” launched by the dating platform Tinder.

Titled “Let’s Talk Consent”, the free 90-minute self-learning course is being offered on the online learning platform “Coursera”. It has been developed as a first-of-its-kind resource to provide young adults in India guidance on interpersonal consent.

“Our conversations with Tinder users and the survey with young adult daters in India gave us an insight into the overwhelming need to create safe spaces for conversations on boundaries and mutual respect, which are not often discussed in our society,” Aahana Dhar, director of communications for Tinder in India told PTI. “Sixty-seven per cent of young adults advocated for the integration of comprehensive consent education in schools and colleges, illustrating the need for a self-learning online course designed for young adults, especially those new to dating to help them understand the nuances of consent in both online and real-life interactions,” Dhar added.

According to a Tinder survey, 65 per cent of young adults took steps to personally understand the concept of consent while six in 10 young adults were seeking more resources and safe spaces (both physical and online) on consent.

The multimedia course created by the youth platform “Yuvaa” utilises surveys, assignments and real-life examples to offer a nuanced understanding of consent in everyday situations.

“The course contains information on the meaning of consent, navigating consent across stages of a relationship, how to ask and give consent as well as the nuance of withdrawing consent. It also includes frequently asked questions on the topic by Tinder users, advice on steps to take in the event your consent was breached, what the law says about it and how to substantiate a breach,” Dhar said.

The modules within the course cover key aspects — Understanding consent in interpersonal relationships; Setting and enforcing personal boundaries; Recognising signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships via red, green and grey flags; and Navigating online and offline interactions with safety and respect.

“The online course includes five modules designed to engage individuals through a combination of text and video lessons, interactive surveys, and assignments. The course will cover key topics like understanding consent, red and green flags, how to enforce boundaries, and what to do if a consent breach occurs, among others,” said Kevin Lee, CEO of Yuvaa. “The course uses relevant examples from everyday life interactively to help young adults better understand how our perceptions of consent are shaped by societal norms, gender expectations, and power dynamics within intimate relationships,” Lee added.