Tinder Introduces ID Verification To All Users

Online dating application Tinder announced on Monday its plans to make ID verification accessible to all its users.

Tinder first released the ID verification only in Japan but will be rolled out to all users before the end of the year. In a statement, Tinder said ID verification would “begin as voluntary” and that it would consult with experts to determine “what documents are most appropriate in each country,” and other details.

Tinder executives noted that ID verification can be a “complex and nuanced” issue and that some users “might have compelling reasons that they can’t or don’t want to share their real-world identity with an online platform.” The company said it’s working with various experts to ensure its approach is “equitable.”

Tinder parent company Match Group partnered with background check platform Garbo earlier this year to also implemented an anti-catfishing feature. ID verification would be the latest safety update for the dating app, which has added other features meant to reassure users’ about their potential matches’ identity.

Tinder was introduced on a college campus in 2012 and is the world’s most popular app for meeting new people. Available in 190 countries and 40+ languages, Tinder is the highest-grossing non-gaming app globally. It’s been downloaded more than 450 million times and led to more than 60 billion matches.