Tinder Adds Background Checks After Years of Crimes Against Women

Popular dating app Tinder has reportedly added a tool that lets users run background checks on prospective dates. Following years of negative public opinion due to Tinder being used to set up women for crimes, parent company Match Group has enabled a system that will offer a background check on potential dates for arrests and convictions of violent crimes, along with sex offender registry status.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Match Group’s Tinder is implementing a tool that will allow users to run background checks on prospective dates to address safety issues on the popular dating app. Match Group has reportedly been developing the tool since last March when it announced its investment in Garbo Technolgy, which operates as a nonprofit background check organization.

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Tinder members will be directed to Garbo to input information about themselves and details about the match they wish to investigate. Garbo will search for arrests and convictions of certain violent crimes, and sex offender registry status.

Tracey Breeden, head of safety and social advocacy at Match Group, commented: “This is the first that’s been done in this industry.” The company has previously faced harsh criticism over a number of sexual assaults and other crimes that have taken place between matches on the app.

In July of last year, a woman’s tinder date allegedly sexually assaulted her and held her captive for three days. The woman met the man she alleges attacked her via Tinder and was rescued when a good Samaritan heard her cries for help in Oakland, California.

Tinder has been aware for some time that meeting people via its app can be risky. In 2020, the company launched new safety features including a panic button that would allow users to contact emergency services if their meeting with a match became dangerous.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal here.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address [email protected]

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