Natalie Sherborn, head of White-collar Defence and Investigations at law firm Withers, said that dating apps had been “found wanting” in their response to crimes being carried out via their platforms.
“Romance fraud, harassment or blackmail are not easy crimes to solve,” she said.
“There is a digital footprint but it’s not always straightforward. It can be quite difficult to unpick the data in order to try and identify who is behind it.”
She suggested that apps need to collect more data about their users’ identities in order to weed out “bad actors”, but stressed that any changes need to consider privacy concerns,.
A spokesperson for Grindr told the BBC that the company “works diligently to provide a safe environment,” including cooperating with UK law enforcement.
It said: “Identity verification can be a safety risk for people who are not out at work, live with unsupportive families, or face discrimination.
“We build our systems intentionally to minimise data collection while still supporting law enforcement investigations.”
A spokesperson for the IOPC said: “We work closely with members of the LGBTQ+ community, holding regular meetings with representatives from various organisations to explain our work and better understand their concerns.
“Our thoughts remain with Mr Gough’s family, loved ones and all those affected by his tragic death. We are deeply sympathetic of their need to obtain answers to questions about the police investigation at the time of Mr Gough’s passing, and their wish to be listened to and heard.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story you can find information and support on the BBC Actionline website.