FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“We’re ready to change the dating game with safety at the forefront” Inclusive dating app Bonkers launches using WalkSafe technology in a bid to make the dating world safer for all.

29.3.23:  Brand new inclusive dating app Bonkers is set to launch in May 2023, putting the fun back into dating and the safety of its users – both on and off the app – at the heart of its mission. Powered by WalkSafe – one of the leading personal safety apps in the UK – Bonkers will be the first UK app to welcome people of all sexual orientations to search for both casual fun and long term dating whilst integrating personal safety technology into its user experience. In light of recent research, which shows that 63% of dating app users have felt uncomfortable on a date, there has never been a better time to utilise WalkSafe technology.

Safety Features

With users able to control their own experience by choosing which side of the app they want to explore – “Bonk” for casual fun or “Bonkers” for a meaningful relationship – Bonkers includes a range of safety elements such as facial recognition, blocked screenshots, user ratings, embedded video calls, verification and kink and fantasy filters (on the Bonk side) alongside two of WalkSafe’s key safety features:

• WalkSafe – which allows you to type in your destination and share your route with selected friends. This includes an estimated time of arrival so your trusted circle know when you expect to arrive. It’s also the only app to share police crime data, so you can make a more informed choice about your selected route.
• HomeSafe – This allows you to share your route and estimated time of arrival with friends and loved ones, and will automatically alert your trusted circle if you fail to arrive at your destination on time.

Why now?

According to research commissioned by the BBC for its 2022 documentary, ‘Dating’s Dangerous Secrets,’ 37% of dating app users have reported someone for inappropriate behaviour, 63% have felt uncomfortable on a date initiated via a dating app and 33% have experienced either harassment or abuse on such dates, proving that additional safety measures in dating are now more vital than ever.

 Left top – Michael Neilgan, CEO of WalkSafe Left Right – Emma Kay – Founder of WalkSafe
Bottom Left – Jay Dodds, co-founder of Bonkers, Bottom Right – John Davidson – CEO of Bonkers.

Jay Dodds, co-founder of Bonkers stated:

“As we all know, the dating app world is a saturated market. We wanted to change the dating game for good. We can, of course, continue to enhance our features in an effort to create a safe space virtually for our users, so that they can interact and match with confidence with safety at the forefront. However it’s about what comes next. What happens when the user goes from virtual to in person. That’s where WalkSafe comes in.

WalkSafe was an obvious choice for us. This was a very natural and clear collaboration. Two teams who hold the same vision and are very much aligned in future goals as both sets of technology evolve.

I hope that more than anything it creates a wave and encourages other apps to up their game. I think it’s easy when companies scale and grow quickly they forget their key values of what they set out to achieve. We are the new kids on the block and we are very much here to keep the dating market on its toes.

To make change you must take action. We are ready to change the dating game with safety at the forefront.”

Emma Kay, Founder of WalkSafe stated:

“I am really excited to be making the WalkSafe technology available to the dating market – particularly to an app as inclusive to the LGBTQIA+ community as Bonkers. At WalkSafe we live by one mantra: ‘to make the world a safer place.’ Powering Bonkers enables us to do exactly this by providing personal safety technology and features to as many people as we possibly can.”

Michael Neligan, CEO of WalkSafe stated:

“The fact that the WalkSafe technology is now in a position to build collaborations such as this one with Bonkers is testament to the foundations of Emma’s initial vision for this business. WalkSafe will always engage with businesses that have a similar philosophy to our own and it is great to see that Bonkers are looking to make the dating world as safe as possible.

I am proud of our development team who have been able to quickly and efficiently build an integration with the Bonkers app to enable Bonkers users to benefit from our leading personal safety features.”

 

ABOUT WALKSAFE+

WalkSafe+ is a personal safety app that equips users with local crime data to help them choose their safest routes home. Historically, women and people from marginalised communities have been encouraged to find other ways to travel than walking. But this isn’t always practical. WalkSafe+ founder Emma Kay knew that there must be a better way: one that acknowledged the practicalities of modern, city-dwelling lifestyles and the necessity for people to retain their independence. WalkSafe+ does this by providing tools and information that empowered people to make travel decisions that didn’t compromise their safety.

Having experienced catcalling, being followed, groping and flashing throughout her lifetime,

Emma knew that more needed to be done to protect women and girls walking alone. This, combined with similar stories in the news, those told to her by her Police Officer father and those shared with her during early roles of childcare and volunteering, confirmed Emma’s belief that the problem was more widespread than most people realised. And so, in 2019, the idea of WalkSafe was born. Bringing together a suite of clever, interactive tools aimed at keeping people safe, such as regularly updated police crime data, community reported data and human ‘satnav’ features in an in-app live map, WalkSafe+ equips users with local intel, allowing them to plan and take safer walking routes that can be monitored by their chosen friends and family. It remains the only safety app currently to make official police crime statistics available to its users. Last month (January ’23) 80,000 users showed up actively on the app, with 73% of them identifying as female.

WALKSAFE+ FEATURES

WalkSafe houses a suite of features, aimed to help people feel as safe as possible on their journeys from destination to destination.

• WalkSafe – Type in your destination and share your route with selected friends. Includes an

estimated time of arrival so your family and friends know when you should arrive. Also includes information as to what crime has happened around you on your selected route.

• HomeSafe – Share your route and estimated time of arrival with friends and loved ones. This feature will automatically alert your loved ones if you fail to arrive at your destination on time.
• Follow Me – If you don’t have a destination in mind e.g you’re going for a run, you can allow your trusted circle to follow you on your route.
• SOS – hold down the SOS button on the WalkSafe+ map to alert your friends immediately that you are in danger.

ABOUT BONKERS

Bonkers app can be found via the website – www.bonkersapp.com

Bonkers is on Apple and Android and available via the app store and google play.

Bonkers monthly subscriptions are as below –

Basic – Free 7 day trial

Blue – £12.99 a month

Pink – £14.99 a month

Crystal – £24.99 a month

Follow Bonkers on social media via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bonkersapp/

Follow Bonkers on Tik Tok – https://www.tiktok.com/@bonkersapp?lang=en

For PR & Media enquiries, please contact Jennifer or Ashley at info@moda-pr.com

BONKERS is the safest and most inclusive dating app on the market catering for everyone’s needs in one place. Bonkers are putting the fun back into dating without putting users at risk. Officially using the WalkSafe safety technology and features, in collaboration with Walksafe, Bonkers is the world’s first dating app to integrate the personal safety technology ensuring your safety continues being a priority once you’ve met your match.

Your safety and security should never be compromised, that’s why all our users are verified and rated by others on the app. No screenshots, No catfishing and NO unsolicited d*ck pics!

Bonkers allows its users to control their own experience by choosing which side of the app they want to use – “Bonk” for casual fun or “Bonkers” for a meaningful relationship, providing one of the safest user experiences on the market.

KEY SAFETY FEATURES OF BONKERS INCLUDE –

• City Matching – Bonkers use Google maps API to allow users to drop a pin a patch with users in different locations around the UK.
• Screenshots blocked across the entire app – Profiles, Photos and Conversations. No more unsolicited pic in any form.
• Log in Identification pin – You will not be able to access the app without inputting your unique 4-digit pin.
• Facial recognition – No more hiding behind images of objects of locations. You can only create an account if your profile picture matches your selfie.
• User rating – We have set up an algorithm in the background to take an average based on user rating. A gold star will be in the corner of each profile. This will then indicate at 5 whether they are a good user. You would not want to be a 1-star user.
• Encrypted messages
• Built in video call – Get to know your date before meeting in person.
• 2 non negotiable tags and 4 negotiables for matching