Australia, 6 October 2023 - Statement from Tinder
Over the past years, Tinder has been focusing on user safety with the development of 20 safety features and updates. We are constantly looking for ways to invest in innovative features that will enhance the user experience while raising the bar on safety within our industry.
Beginning today, users in Australia and New Zealand will start to see a new ID Verification option in the app that we’re testing, focusing on date of birth and likeness. This new ID Verification feature will serve as an additional step to help users confirm the authenticity of profiles.
Tinder users in Australia and New Zealand will be able to complete both ID + Photo Verification. The enhanced process requires a video selfie and a valid Driver’s Licence or Passport, and will check to see whether the face in the video selfie matches both the photo on the ID as well as the person’s profile photos. It will also check the date of birth on the ID. This can be done on the user’s Profile page.
Users who only complete Photo Verification will now receive a blue camera icon badge and users who only complete the ID Verification will receive a blue ID icon badge. Users who complete both ID + Photo Verification will receive the blue checkmark.
We plan to take the learnings from this pilot as we explore expanding this feature out to other regions in the future.
Earlier this year, Tinder released video selfie functionality to enhance its existing Photo Verification feature. Just this week, Tinder and Match Group announced World Romance Scam Prevention Day to help users avoid online fraudsters.
Tinder Australia’s local non-government (NGO) partner, WESNET welcomes the pilot of ID Verification,"We welcome this test and hope the pilot of the ID + Photo Verification process will help verify that potential matches are real as well as deter those thinking about misusing the dating app,” says Karen Bentley, CEO of WESNET.
"I look forward to seeing the results of this pilot. I hope it will deter people who intend to use the app for harm, and allow users to feel safer to meet people and explore connections,” says Consent advocate, author and CEO of Teach Us Consent, Chanel Contos.
ENDS
ABOUT TINDER
Launched in 2012, Tinder is the world’s most popular app for meeting new people and has been downloaded more than 530 million times. The app is available in 190 countries and 45+ languages. More than half of all users are 18-25 years old. In 2022, Tinder was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company.
ABOUT WESNET
Established in 1992, WESNET is the national peak body for specialist women’s domestic and family violence services across Australia and the leading sector expert on the intersection of technology and violence against women. With over 350 members across Australia, WESNET represents a range of organisations and individuals, including women’s refuges, shelters, crisis services, safe houses and information/ referral services amongst others.
ABOUT CHANEL CONTOS
Chanel Contos is the founder and CEO of Teach Us Consent, a campaign that was responsible for mandating consent education in Australia. Teach Us Consent continues to advocate for and provide holistic consent education. Chanel has worked closely with politicians from across the politician spectrum, including Prime Ministers, to achieve significant reforms in Australia. She obtained a First in her Masters in Gender, Education and International Development, and her work to prevent normalised sexual violence has been celebrated and recognised internationally. She consults for Match Group (including Tinder) in violence prevention and safety.
