Tinder announced Monday that it will soon offer accurate background information on U.S. members so potential dates can more thoroughly check each other out.
The increased security comes amid mounting concerns about the safety of meeting up on the platform for a date with a complete stranger. A 2019 investigation by ProPublica discovered that registered sex offenders were listed on a number of dating platforms run by Match Group, Tinder’s parent.
Women have even been killed by their Tinder dates.
Now, Match Group has partnered with Garbo, a nonprofit background checking platform, to provide the low-cost service. Garbo, which was founded three years ago by a female survivor of violence, collects information for its background checks from public records and reports of violence or abuse, including arrests, convictions, restraining orders, harassment and other violent crimes. Checks will not include drug possession charges.
Match Group plans to roll out the feature across all of its platforms — which also include PlentyOfFish, OkCupid and Hinge ― within the next few months.
Following the ProPublica investigation, members of Congress last year sent a letter to Match Group President Shar Dubey, urging her to take action to protect users’ safety.
“For far too long, women and marginalized groups in all corners of the world have faced many barriers to resources and safety,” Tracey Breeden, head of Safety and Social Advocacy for Match Group, said in a statement. “We recognize corporations can play a key role in helping remove those barriers with technology and true collaboration rooted in action.”
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