Tinder to Roll Out Age and Identity Verification in Europe

Tinder is expanding its identity and age verification features to France and several other European countries, aiming to bolster trust and safety on the platform. The feature, which has already been piloted in the U.S., U.K., and Mexico, will become available in France by the end of summer 2025, with Germany, Spain, and Italy to follow.

The PR statement about the feature implies that the new verification process remains optional for users, but is designed to confirm both the authenticity of profiles and the accuracy of a user’s stated age if a match requests it. According to Tinder, the process involves uploading a valid government-issued ID along with a video selfie. The app uses facial geometry to confirm that the images match and that the video is of a live, unaltered person.

Tinder’s verification system aims to reduce instances of impersonation and fraudulent activity on the app, particularly as underage use and fake profiles have long been concerns for dating platforms – made worse by improvements to generative AI. Users who complete the process will receive a verification badge on their profile, signaling to others that their identity has been authenticated.

In the U.S., the verification process is more robust, including checks against sex offender registries. The company notes that identity data is retained only until the user deletes their account. Early reactions to the feature in France have been largely positive, with users expressing relief over added safeguards – it’s not currently known if the European version of this process will also have a similar connection to related records or registries.