Standards and Guidance
Including data privacy, education and consumer awareness, and user safety.
Welcome to
the Online Dating and Discovery Association
The global voice in the online dating and social discovery industry. Our mission is to promote safe, responsible and enjoyable dating and social experiences for everyone.
In 2014, the online dating sector came together to create the ODA – a unifying force committed to setting industry standards and speaking out with one powerful voice. In 2024, we relaunched as the Online Dating and Discovery Association (ODDA) encompassing both dating and social discovery services.
At the ODDA, we’re more than just a trade association – we’re a movement for positive change in the online dating and social discovery sector. Our vision is a world where online dating and social discovery is safe, inclusive, and fosters many happy relationships and friendships.
We work tirelessly to represent the unified voice of the sector, putting trust and safety first in everything we do. Our mission is to encourage innovative solutions to challenges, while creating a safe, trustworthy, and positive dating and social experience for all consumers.
As the recognized voice of the sector, we’re supported by a membership that believes in trust, safety, and privacy. We work with members and partners to set standards for good practice, promote positive PR campaigns, and engage with policymakers to advocate for policies that support the sector.
Through high-quality research, thought-leadership opportunities, and resources that empower smart online dating, we’re changing the narrative around online dating. Join us in creating a brighter future for online dating and social discovery!
Standards & Guidance
Our Guiding Principles
We believe that collaboration is key. That’s why we work together to develop sector standards, safety guidance, and other content to benefit everyone.
We prioritise inclusivity. Our standards and materials promote safety and wellbeing for all services and agencies.
Compliance is crucial. We prioritise legal compliance and safeguarding personal data, privacy, and consumer protection law for service providers.
We conduct research, gather public opinion, and seek advice from the sector to ensure our work is evidence-based and influential.
We respond constructively to regulators, the media, and other agencies. We share data and explain the sector and how it works in as clear and honest a way as possible.
Our goal is to promote customer choice and value for dating and social discovery services by establishing regulatory environments that support their operation.
We will look to our members to be clear with users and others on their support for the Association and their commitment to the standards the ODDA develops and promotes.
We will work to promote the belief no service should act in ways that bring the industry into disrepute. Membership is subject to this principle.
