They ensure that your Tinderella is not a catfish in disguise.
You no longer need a family member at the CIA to view your upcoming dates. Tinder and other dating platforms owned by Match Group will soon allow daily users to perform background checks on their matches, de Verge reported.
“This is an industry first,” Match Group security chief Tracey Breeden told Yahoo News of its advanced capabilities. “There are no background check options in the dating industry.”
The technology comes thanks to Match’s secret investment in Garbo, a nonprofit that aims to enable ordinary citizens to investigate people based on basic information such as their first name and phone number.
Using these fleeting details, Tinder trustees will reportedly be able to determine if someone they are seeking court for online has a criminal record, or other legal indications such as a restraining order.
However, Garbo draws the line when it comes to disclosing drug charges. Their rationale is that the “criminal justice system has been used to control the possession of resources in a way that promotes systemic inequality for decades,” the auditing firm’s site said.
Match Group has yet to finalize all the details – including the price – but the background check will be trying out on Tinder in the coming months. Once integrated there, it will likely roll out to the company’s other hookup apps, including OkCupid, Hinge, and Match.
The vetting technique is not just about increasing the chances of meeting Mr. or Mrs. properly. A 2019 report found that romantic scams were the most expensive forms of fraud, with losses from sexual adversity quadrupling in recent years.
Not to mention that dating platforms have allowed violent criminals to reach victims under the guise of a possible match. Three years ago, a Nebraska man was charged with the gruesome murder of a 24-year-old woman he met on Tinder.