Tinder plans to make ID verification — a feature currently only available in Japan — accessible to all its users, the company says.
For now, we have few details about how this update, which is expected to roll out in “the coming quarters,” will work. 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 execs 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.”
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. The company has also implemented an anti-catfishing feature, and Tinder parent company Match Group partnered with background check platform Garbo earlier this year.