After the success of a pilot in Australia and New Zealand which saw Tinder users receiving more matches, verification is to be rolled out across the UK and US.
Announced today (Feb. 20) on the Tinder Newsroom, the infamous matchdating app will be adding the additional step of having users confirm the authenticity of profiles. The aim is to have this feature available in the US and Mexico by summer and in the UK and Brazil by spring.
While the focus is on improving safety measures, the pilot showed that users who completed the ID verification option saw a 67% increase in matches than those not verified.
The feature requires a video selfie and a valid Driver’s Licence or Passport. The app’s technology then checks to see whether the face in the video selfie matches both the photo on the ID and the person’s profile photos.
Users who complete the full Tinder verification process will see a blue checkmark added to their profile.
This marks a move to protect the user experience. CEO of domestic and sexual violence foundation NO MORE Pamela Zaballa explains what this means via the press release: “People want to feel safe and confident when connecting and communicating with their matches, and we applaud Tinder for giving users this additional option to help confirm their match is the person in their profile.”
At this time, there isn’t a requirement for people to carry out the full checks. People who submit photo verification only will receive a blue camera icon badge, while users who only complete the ID portion will see a blue ID icon badge.
In recent years, the dating company has worked closely with the domestic and sexual violence foundation NO MORE to address concerns and promote positive dating behaviors. The two first partnered in 2022 with the launch of a healthy dating guide series.
Speaking in a press release on the NO MORE newsroom, the head of trust and safety product at Tinder Rory Kozoll said: “The safety of our members is a priority. As we introduce new safety features, we are continually looking to expert partners, such as NO MORE, to spearhead conversations and promote messages about safety and dating.”
Featured image: Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash
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