Tinder users can now run background checks on their matches

The dating app Tinder has announced that it will be introducing a tool to let users run background checks on their matches before going on a date.

Tinder’s parent company Match Group Inc announced the new feature’s rollout in March 2021, when Match Group invested in non profit background check startup Garbo. Starting today, Tinder users will have low-cost access to Garbo’s background check technology, where individuals can access public information on an individual with just a first name and phone number.

“For far too long women and traditionally marginalised groups have faced many barriers to resources and safety,” said Tracey Breeden, head of safety and social advocacy at Match Group. “Garbo’s thoughtful and innovative consumer background checks will drive the industry forward while empowering people with critical information to help inform personal safety choices.”

Dating app users can access the background check tool by tapping on the blue shield logo from anywhere in the app. From there, users will be directed to the Tinder Safety Centre, where they will see a Garbo article in the tools section, which directs users to Garbo’s service. The roll-out was announced in an effort to address the concerns about the safety of online dating. Now, Tinder users can use the feature to discover if their match has a history of violence or sex offender registry records.

At launch, Tinder will offer two free background searches to each user - afterward, the service costs $2.50 for each search. The roll-out and low-cost technology is part of Garbo’s mission to “democratise access to public safety information”.

Match Group - which also owns OkCupid, Hinge, and Match - is also partnering with the National Domestic Violence Hotline to provide 24/7 information, and access to a “live chat” with trained hotline advocates.

Garbo was founded in 2018 by Kathryn Kosmide, who is a survivor of gender-based violence. “Whether it’s online dating or the dozens of other ways we meet strangers in today’s digital age, we should know if we’re potentially putting our safety at risk,” said Kosmides. “We want to protect those most vulnerable to experiencing harm both online and offline and this is just the first step in delivering on our mission to help proactively prevent harm in the digital age.”