Tinder launches new facial recognition requirements

Popular dating app Tinder has launched a new verification method that requires users to use facial recognition technology to prove themselves as a real person when they first sign up for the app.

This technology (called facial checking) will be used to confirm that the person who registered is real by taking a short selfie video. Security measures will then determine whether the person is real by matching it to his profile picture.

As Axios first reported, the new verification method was launched on Monday and currently only requires users in California.

“Create a fun and respectful environment in which Tinder users can be their true self,” said Philip Price Fry, vice president of communications at Tinder. “As part of our ongoing efforts, we are constantly testing ways to provide users with the best experience to seek real connections.”

If the biometric face scan determines that the user is eligible for registration, a photo recognition badge will be added. According to Tinder’s website, the submitted selfie video will be deleted shortly after the qualification is determined, saving only two screenshots to maintain the feature.

According to the app, facial checking will also ensure that users do not have multiple accounts registered.

The verification process is separate from Tinder’s ID checking because it does not depend on the government ID.

Yoel Roth, head of trust and security at Match Group, Tinder’s parent company, told Axios that the company sees it as an insurance measure for users.

“We think this is part of a set of identity assurance options available to users,” Ross told Axios. “Face checks… are really about confirming that this person is a real, living person, not a bot or a fraud account.”

According to Axios, Roth said the plan has shown promising results in Colombia and Canada. California is the first state in the United States to require new facial examination verification.

Ross also told Axios that California was selected for its “demographic and strong online security and privacy laws.”

Nick Butler is a Fox Business reporter. Do you have any tips? Contact nick.butler@fox.com.