NEW: Portland’s ‘Cuddle Up To Me’ Owner Concerned About New Cuddling App

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Kemea Smith, GoLocalPDX Contributor

The iOS app CuddleBids, was released Monday.

Samantha Hess, owner of Cuddle Up To Me expressed concern about the safety and security of new app CuddleBIDS.

“It's great that they are trying to connect people, but it needs to be secure," says Hess about the new phone app.

The new iOS app CuddleBids released Monday, gives both genders the opportunity to set up cuddling play dates for money or fun.

Slideshow Below: Cuddle Up to Me

You simply create a profile and then browse through users to find the cuddle buddy for you. Once you find the cuddle buddy of your dreams, you both negotiate and agree on a cuddling session, for a price or to just enjoy each others company.

Hess compared the CuddleBids to Cuddlr, a location-based social meeting app for cuddling by Shazam developer Charlie Williams. “Cuddlr asked if I would endorse the app, and I didn’t because their were no security measures put in place.”

It’s important to note that CuddleBids doesn’t run background checks on members, instead they provide a “How to Be Safe While Meeting People Online” article, that quotes analyst Jeremy Edwards saying “meeting someone through one of these websites does not present any greater risk than meeting someone in a bar or any other setting.”

“They allow anyone 13 and older people to use the app, which is quite frightening and seems like a huge safety issue, Hess says.

You must be at least 17 years old to download the app, but can be 13 and older to be a user. As stated on the website “CuddleBids does not knowingly collect or solicit any information from anyone under the age of 13 or knowingly allow such persons to register as users.”

Portland’s Cuddle Up to Me is one of the only legitimate cuddle shops in the country, and received tons of buzz after getting over 10,000 customers in their opening week. “My service is completely transparent and we also have the professional cuddlers take a 40 hour training program on platonic cuddling” says Hess .

Her sessions are held in different themed rooms such as the Cascades Room and The Zen Room, are priced at $1 per minute, and can be booked for 15 minutes to 5 hours.

For more information about Cuddle Up To Me, click here. To download CuddleBids, click here.

Related Slideshow: Cuddle Up to Me

Cuddle Up to Me, owned by professional cuddler Samantha Hess, opened in Portland November, 2014. See photos from The Reluctant Adventurer's one hour spent with Hess in a professional cuddle session.