Why We Remove Content
At Hinge, we strive to create the most positive environment possible for all daters. This means being thoughtful and transparent about our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service and how we handle content that isn’t allowed on profiles.
Sometimes a piece of content violates our Community Guidelines, even if the rest of your profile doesn’t. Hinge may remove a specific photo, video, or prompt that violates our Terms of Service, without removing the account entirely.
This process is designed to help daters quickly and easily correct course, so you can get back to finding compatible matches.
What Content Gets Removed?
We remove content when it violates certain guidelines. Examples of what may be removed include, but are not limited to:
- Discriminatory language and content
- Graphic or inappropriate content
- Photos of minors, including childhood photos of daters
- Nudity or sexually explicit material
- Financial scams or misleading prompts
- Harassment and fetishization content
- Ads, or other promotions.
What Happens Next
Our goal is to give daters clear guidance that will help them efficiently update their content so they can continue matching. That’s why you’ll be notified if content is removed, and we’ll explain why.
If content is removed from your profile, you may need to update it to ensure it meets requirements again before you can reappear in the Discover or Standouts feed. You will still be able to view your matches, send and receive messages, and view your incoming likes.
How to Return to Discover
If content has been removed from your profile, you’ll see an in-app message prompting you to add new content. Just follow the guidance:
- If a photo was removed, Tap Add New Media and upload a replacement.
- If a prompt was removed, Tap Add New Prompt and fill out a new one.
What Others Will See
People who matched with you before the content was removed:
- Will only see the parts of your profile that remain active.
- May still see a preview of the removed content in messages (if it was connected to a Like or Comment your match sent before the takedown).
People who haven’t matched with you yet:
- Might not see your profile in Discover or Standouts until you meet the updated content requirements.
Where You’ll See Your Notifications
Depending on your app version and settings you may receive:
- An in-app alert when you open the app
- A push notification if you’re opted in
- An email guiding you to open the Hinge app and update your content
Your Discover or Standouts tab will also show a banner offering options to view and learn more about the removed content, or how to update it:
Appealing Removed Content
If you believe a photo, video, or prompt that was removed did not violate our Community Guidelines, you may be able to ask us to review the decision directly in the app.
You can appeal the removal of Photos, Text Prompts, Prompt Polls, Video Prompts, or Voice Prompts. Appeals apply to individual pieces of content, so if more than one piece of content is flagged, you can agree with some decisions and request to appeal others.
You won’t be able to appeal content if you’ve already replaced it with something else, or if the content is no longer available due to our data retention policies.
How to Submit an Appeal
- Open Hinge and tap the banner or notification regarding your removed content
- Locate the piece of content you’d like us to review.
- Tap “Did we get this wrong?” to Request a Review
- Write a short explanation about why you believe this content follows our Community Guidelines.
- Tap Send for review to submit your request.
A member of our team will review your appeal.
What Happens After Submitting an Appeal?
Once you submit an appeal, the content will display as 'Pending' while we review your request.
When we’ve made a decision, the header will change to let you know there’s been an update to your request. You’ll see if your appeal was Approved or Denied in-app, and you’ll receive an email confirmation of the decision as well.
If your appeal is Approved: you’ll have the option to add the content back to your profile by uploading it again. Removed content, such as Voice Notes, Video Prompts, or Prompt Polls, is not automatically restored once it is removed. This may require re-recording a voice or video prompt or re-creating a prompt poll.
If your appeal is Denied: you’ll be asked to update your profile with new content that follows our Community Guidelines. This will allow your profile to rejoin the Discover feed.
How to Stay in Good Standing
- Look over our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service before uploading new content
- Make sure your content reflects your intentions in a respectful, honest way
- Ask yourself: “Is this content authentic and helpful to someone trying to connect with me?”
If you’ve had content removed and want suggestions for new ways to express yourself, check out our article on Profile Refresh Tips.