The Tinder Experiment is over: Cops order site to be taken down

THE Tinder Experiment is over with police forcing a page set up to expose alleged paedophiles off Facebook. But what’s happening to the creeps caught on camera?

THE group dubbed the “Tinder vigilantes” have had their Facebook page taken down and won’t be releasing more undercover footage of men they say were targeting underage girls.

The group — a 21-year-old woman and two 25-year-old men — won’t publish the remaining footage obtained in the Melbourne stings after Victorian police asked them not to.

A Victorian Police spokeswoman said they were investigating both the group and the men exposed in the videos.

“We are investigating all facets of this matter,” she said.

Called The Tinder Experiment, the Melbourne residents claim to be exposing paedophiles who were grooming underage girls on dating app Tinder.

They created a fake profile under the name “Imogen”, set up dates with willing men, and then had a hidden camera film the encounters.

The men were aged 31 and 43 and are recorded trying to kiss “Imogen”, who told them her real age was 15 and she only pretended to be older on the fake profile.

Imogen was in fact 21 and the other two men were 25-years-old. They told The Age they set up the experiment to test the morality of Tinder users after seeing a disturbing trend emerge.

“We want to highlight how easy it is for illegal behaviour to take place via mobile dating apps and how little consequences there is for the offenders. We don’t think anyone realises just how common it is and how many people are getting away with it,” they said.

The fake Tinder profile of ‘Imogen’.

One of the Tinder exchanges. ‘Imogen’ tells a man she is only 15 and he replies by asking if he can over to her place.

This week their page was taken down from Facebook and the group told supporters they would have to share content on You Tube and on Twitter.

A police spokeswoman said no charges had been laid but the investigation was ongoing. “Police have spoken with three people involved in the production of these videos. We do not condone the actions shown in this clip. It is also worth noting most contact between adult males and young females is generated by the adult — not the child.”

In a video message posted yesterday before the page was removed, member Blake said things had “escalated quickly” since media became aware of their activities.

Blake denied they had broken any laws or the encounters were in any way entrapment. He also rejected the term “vigilantes” which he said was given to them by the media.

“No encouragement was given — she didn’t say come and around and kiss me — the guys did that on their own,” he said.

Our Facebook page has unfortunately been taken down. We'll be moving all of our posts to Twitter and YouTube now.

— TheTinderExperiment (@TinderEx) January 13, 2015

As stated in our last video, it is legal in our state to record any conversation that you're participating in yourself. No laws were broken.

— TheTinderExperiment (@TinderEx) January 12, 2015

“For the record there are more than just three encounters. We filmed about 10 and had more in the works.”

However these videos will now not be shown to the public after police told the group not to continue with their ‘experiment’ and Tinder removed their account.

Except for one final clip which will be ready soon and which the group say will be to conclude “our experiment” and “discuss our findings”.

+Police urge anyone with information regarding child exploitation activity to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”