Popular dating app Tinder rolled out a new verification method that requires users to utilize facial recognition technology to prove they are a real human when they first sign up for the app.
The technology – called Face Check – will be used to confirm that the person signing up is real by taking a short selfie video of themselves. The safety measure will then determine if the person is real by matching it against their profile picture.
As first reported by Axios, the new verification method launched on Monday and, for now, will only be required for users in California.
“Creating a fun and respectful environment where Tinder users can be their true selves is our priority,” Philip Price Fry, Vice President of Communications for Tinder, told FOX Business. “As part of our continued efforts, we are always testing ways to deliver the best experience for our users to seek authentic connections.”
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If the biometric face scan determines that the user is eligible to sign up, a photo recognition badge will be added to the user’s profile. Shortly after determining eligibility, the submitted selfie video will be deleted with only two screenshots being saved to maintain the feature, according to Tinder’s website.
Face Check will also make sure that the user signing up doesn’t have multiple accounts, according to the app.
The verification process is separate from Tinder’s ID check as it does not rely on one’s government ID.
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Yoel Roth, head of trust and safety of Tinder’s parent company, Match Group, told Axios that the company sees this as an insurance measure for users.
“We see this as one part of a set of identity assurance options that are available to users,” Roth told Axios. “Face Check… is really meant to be about confirming that this person is a real, live person and not a bot or a spoofed account.”
According to Axios, Roth said that the program has already shown promising results in Colombia and Canada. California is the first state in the U.S. where Tinder is requiring the new Face Check verification.
Roth also told Axios that California was selected for its “size, demographics and strong online safety and privacy laws.”
Nick Butler is a reporter for Fox Business. Do you have any tips? Reach out to [email protected].
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