Tinder has announced a new feature designed to reduce the risk of catfishing on the app.

In the coming months, the app will make ID verification available to members all over the world in an effort to ensure that more matches are authentic. Previously, this feature was only available to users in Japan.

The new feature will be voluntary, Tinder said in a blog post, except in countries where ID verification is mandatory. Users who verify their identity by providing a scan of their passport or driver’s licence will receive a Twitter-style authentication tick.

Catfishing remains a major problem on all dating apps. According to a recent survey, more than one in four dating app users have been scammed by fake profiles over the last year.

The damage done can be financial as well as emotional. More than one in five dating app users said they’ve been asked for money by someone they connected with online over the last year.

“ID Verification is complex and nuanced, which is why we are taking a test-and-learn approach to the rollout,” said Rory Kozoll, Head of Trust & Safety Product at Tinder. “We know one of the most valuable things Tinder can do to make members feel safe is to give them more confidence that their matches are authentic and more control over who they interact with.” 

“And we hope all our members worldwide will see the benefits of interacting with people who have gone through our ID verification process,” Kozoll added.  “We look forward to a day when as many people as possible are verified on Tinder.”

Tinder’s introduction of ID verification comes as other dating apps take steps to crack down on toxic behaviour. Earlier this year Bumble announced that it has updated its terms and conditions to “explicitly ban unsolicited and derogatory comments made about someone’s appearance, body shape, size, or health”.

Meanwhile, Badoo has blocked screenshots in an effort to reduce the risk of revenge porn and casual slut-shaming.

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