EXIF

Mimolet Dating App Shows Strong Data Protection Practices in Photo Handling, Moderation, and Infrastructure Review

A detailed technical review of the Russian dating service Mimolet reveals several well-implemented security and privacy measures across its photo upload pipeline, content moderation systems, and infrastructure choices. The app processes every uploaded image by validating its actual content rather than file extension, strips EXIF metadata, resizes it, and stores only the cleaned version. Public images undergo pre-publication checks using two AI models plus an additional verification pass before they appear in group chats or profiles. Complaints and blocks are available to all users without requiring a subscription, and moderator decisions are logged for accountability. The core API and database run in Russia while media files are stored in a domestic S3-compatible object storage, and the main AI features operate on dedicated GPU infrastructure managed by the team. The review highlights two areas needing improvement: clearer data retention timelines and a dedicated, trackable appeals process for blocked accounts.