Tinder is now giving users access to criminal background checks services in the app to help protect against dangerous hookups, the company announced Wednesday.
The 9.6 million users of Tinder’s dating app will see a new background check option in the app’s safety center. The new feature is a partnership between Match Group — Tinder’s parent company — and Garbo, a nonprofit background check provider.
Each search on Garbo costs $2.50 plus a processing fee, but Tinder will provide two free background checks to each user. All costs go directly to Garbo to help fund operations.
Match made a seven-figure investment in Garbo last year. Match Group is also partnering with the National Domestic Violence Hotline to give survivors 24/7 access to resources and information.
“We want to protect those most vulnerable to experiencing harm both online and offline, and this is just the first step in delivering on our mission to help proactively prevent harm in the digital age,” Garbo founder Kathryn Kosmides said in a release.
According to a 2017 study by the CDC, technology-facilitated intimate partner violence affects one in three women and one in six men.
Early reaction to the partnership has been mixed, with some commending Tinder for the increased safety measures and others concerned about potential invasions of privacy.
• Peter Santo can be reached at psanto@washingtontimes.com.
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