Tinder to Expand Facial Verification Feature Across the U.S., Setting a New Standard for Dating Safety

Rhea-AI Summary

Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) announced on Oct 22, 2025 that Tinder is rolling out Face Check, a mandatory facial liveness verification for new users in seven countries and the state of California, with additional U.S. states to follow. Face Check requires a short video selfie to confirm a user is real and matches profile photos and flags duplicate faces across accounts. Early metrics show >60% lower exposure to potential bad actors and >40% fewer bad actor reports. Video selfies are deleted after review; a non-reversible encrypted face map is retained to detect fraud. Match plans broader portfolio rollouts in 2026.

Positive

• Face Check now required for new users in seven countries and California
• Early safety metrics: exposure to potential bad actors down >60%
• Early safety metrics: bad actor reports down >40%
• Mandatory onboarding verification provides a visible Photo Verified badge

Negative

• Rollout limited to markets where local regulations permit
• Retention of encrypted face maps could attract regulatory or privacy scrutiny

First-of-Its-Kind Face Check Technology Helps Confirm Users Are Real and Match Their Profile Photos

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH) and its flagship app, Tinder, announced today the U.S. rollout of Face Check™, a first-of-its-kind facial verification feature that helps confirm users are real and match their profile photos. Face Check is now required for all new users in seven countries and the state of California, and will roll out to additional U.S. states in the coming months as part of Tinder's next phase of safety innovation aimed at building greater trust, reducing impersonation, and redefining authenticity in dating.

With Face Check, Tinder becomes the first major dating app to integrate mandatory facial liveness verification directly into the onboarding experience, marking an important step toward building a more secure and trustworthy platform for people to connect.

How it works: New members complete Face Check by taking a short video selfie within the app. The system helps confirm, a) That the person is real and physically present and b) That their face matches the one shown in their profile photos.

If the scanned face matches a profile photo, members receive Tinder's Photo Verified badge, signaling to others that they have been authenticated. Face Check also detects when the same face is used across multiple accounts, adding an additional layer of protection against impersonation and fake profiles.

Face Check has already been launched in Colombia, Canada, Australia, India, and several countries across Southeast Asia, and plans continue rolling out globally in markets where local regulations permit. When coupled with other recent safety initiatives, early results have shown meaningful improvements in user safety and confidence, such as:

• Over 60% decrease in exposure to potential bad actors¹
• Over 40% decrease in bad actor reports
• Meaningful improvements in users' reported perceptions of authenticity and trust

These results highlight how Tinder's investment in next-generation safety innovation is reshaping what users can expect from dating apps, using technology, design, and accountability to make every connection more authentic and every experience more secure.

"We're strengthening and accelerating our investments in Trust and Safety," said Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Match Group and head of Tinder. "We've tested Face Check extensively and are confident in its positive impacts on the Tinder ecosystem. Safety is an essential part of the Tinder experience, built into how people join, match, and connect. Face Check reflects our deepening commitment to responsible innovation that builds trust and supports a healthy, growing community. It's just the beginning of a broader effort to make Tinder the best and safest way to meet new people."

"Face Check is perhaps the most measurably impactful Trust and Safety feature I've seen in my 15-year career," said Yoel Roth, Head of Trust & Safety at Match Group. "It helps tackle one of the hardest problems online, knowing whether someone is real, in a way that feels seamless and effective for real users, while adding meaningful obstacles that are difficult for bad actors to circumvent. It sets a new benchmark for trust and safety across the dating industry."

Tinder designed Face Check with privacy at its core. Video selfies are used only to complete the verification process and are deleted shortly after review. A non-reversible, encrypted face map and face vector are stored solely to help verify new photos, detect fraud, and prevent duplicate accounts. These safeguards reflect Tinder's commitment to developing safety technology that protects users while respecting their privacy.

Match Group plans to begin introducing Face Check across additional apps in its portfolio in 2026.

¹Based on a random weighted sample of in-app profile views. Bad actors include accounts that engage in deceptive or harmful behaviors, including spam, scam attempts, or operating automated fake profiles (bots).

About Match Group
Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH), through its portfolio companies, is a leading provider of digital technologies designed to help people make meaningful connections. Our global portfolio of brands includes Tinder^®, Hinge^®, Match^®, Meetic^®, OkCupid^®, Pairs™, PlentyOfFish^®, Azar^®, BLK^®, and more, each built to increase our users' likelihood of connecting with others. Through our trusted brands, we provide tailored services to meet the varying preferences of our users. Our services are available in over 40 languages to our users all over the world.

About Tinder
Launched in 2012, Tinder^® revolutionized how people meet, growing from 1 match to one billion matches in just two years. This rapid growth demonstrates its ability to fulfill a fundamental human need: real connection. Today, the app has been downloaded over 630 million times, leading to over 100 billion matches in 190 countries and 45+ languages - a scale unmatched by any other app in the category. In 2024, Tinder won four Effie Awards for its first-ever global brand campaign, "It Starts with a Swipe™."

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SOURCE Match Group

FAQ

What is Tinder's Face Check rollout announced on Oct 22, 2025 for MTCH?

Tinder is expanding Face Check, a mandatory facial liveness verification for new users in seven countries and California, with broader U.S. expansion planned.

How effective is Face Check for MTCH according to early results?

Early results show a reported >60% decrease in exposure to potential bad actors and a reported >40% decrease in bad actor reports.

How does Face Check verification work on Tinder (MTCH)?

New users take a short video selfie in-app; matching photos earn a Photo Verified badge and duplicate faces are detected across accounts.

Will Match Group (MTCH) roll Face Check out to other apps and when?

Match Group plans to begin introducing Face Check across additional apps in its portfolio in 2026.

What privacy protections does Tinder cite for Face Check (MTCH)?

Tinder says video selfies are deleted shortly after review and a non-reversible, encrypted face map is stored only to verify photos and prevent fraud.