Report by Wissam Nasrallah, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian
In today’s digital world, dating apps have become a popular tool for meeting new people. These platforms connect individuals who might never have crossed paths otherwise. But what happens when a “virtual connection” crosses geopolitical boundaries and becomes a potential tool for surveillance or infiltration?
If you open a dating app in villages across southern Lebanon, you might be surprised to see that suggested profiles come not only from nearby towns such as Tyre, Bint Jbeil, or Marjaayoun— but also from Israeli towns including Qiryat Shemona, Safed, and Nahariyya.
In fact, more than half of the profiles that appear may belong to Israeli users.
That’s because these apps do not operate within the confines of political borders. Instead, they show users based on proximity as determined by the distance radius selected, regardless of international boundaries.
For example, if you are in the border town of Aitaroun and set a 10-kilometer radius, you will likely see profiles from nearby Lebanese towns like Tebnine or Beit Yahoun — but also from Israeli settlements such as Yir'on or Avivim, which are just 5 to 7 kilometers away.
The issue does not end there. Some of these profiles reportedly belong to Israeli soldiers — some pictured in uniform, others disguised with casual, friendly photos. In some cases, users may unknowingly find themselves chatting with a member of the Israeli military.
So why hasn’t the Lebanese government blocked this phenomenon?
The answer is more technical than political. Lebanese authorities do not have the legal or technological jurisdiction to control the algorithms of global platforms.
Apps such as Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge are registered outside Lebanon and operate under the laws of their parent companies in Europe or the United States.
Because these platforms rely on GPS-based geolocation — not political borders — they do not recognize the Blue Line as anything more than a simple distance marker. Nor do they distinguish between a civilian user and an Israeli soldier.
This leaves individual awareness as the first — and most essential — line of defense.