Match Group Encourages User Verification for Safer Internet Day

To mark Safer Internet Day, Match Group, the parent company of Tinder, Hinge, and other dating platforms, is encouraging users to get verified. The company states that verified profiles lead to more dates, and also shares a number of safety tips with users.

Beginning today on February 6th – Safer Internet Day – unverified users will receive reminders to Photo Verify their profiles. This process helps confirm for potential matches that a user’s photos match the person who manages the account. 

Verification not only brings with it security, but also more dates, Match Group explains. 

Hinge users with profiles that are Selfie Verified go on more than 200% more dates globally than those are unverified. On Tinder – within the 18-25 age group – being Photo Verified increases the chances to match by 10%.

“Verifying your profile is the easiest thing you can do to level up your dating game,” said Devyn Simone, Tinder’s Resident Relationship Expert. 

“Nobody wants to start flirting and then wonder if their new crush is a real person, so verifying your profile is the best way to help confirm you are the person in your photos. It’s so important to be safe when interacting with people online, and verified profiles are a huge green flag!”, Simone added.

In collaboration with Global Anti-Scam Organization, Match Group has also shared a series of tips on how users can be safe on and off the platform.

●  Look out for verified profiles.

○  When you see a verified check on a potential match’s profile, you’ll know they’ve been Photo Verified, so they’re really the person in their photos. You can also set up video chats before meeting up. If your date can’t do any of these things, it’s a red flag.

●  Don’t send money to anyone you don’t know.

○  Scammers may share investment advice or pull at your heart strings. No matter the request, never send money or personal financial info to anyone you meet online.

●  Choose a familiar, well-reviewed and/or public location to meet.

○  Meet for the first few times in a populated, public place. If your date pressures you to go somewhere private, end the date and report the person through the app you met them on.

●  Let a trusted friend or family member know where you are going and who you are meeting with.

○  Arrive at the location early to let a server or bartender know you’re meeting someone for the first time so that they can have your back.

●  Have a way there and back.

○  Be in control of your own transportation. As a backup, use a ride-share app.

●  Report any and all bad behavior, both online and IRL.

○  If something feels unsafe, report the person to local law enforcement or through the app you met the person on. If it is an emergency, get to a safe place and call 9-1-1.

●  Keep all digital and physical evidence. Take screenshots of your conversations with your date before blocking the person and erasing the conversation history.

○  Report the incident as soon as you can and seek support. You do not have to go through it alone.

“Safer Internet Day is an important reminder for us all to be more responsible and aware of the way we interact online,” says Aileen Hsu, Head of Partnerships at Global Anti-Scam Organization. 

“We appreciate that Match Group is promoting safer online practices by encouraging unverified users across their platforms to verify their profiles. Together, we can help make these safe practices habits for users as we work toward making a safer digital experience for everyone”, Hsu added.