Tinder on Wednesday said background checks are now available for people to screen their matches on the dating app, an update the company had promised earlier this year.
The background checks are provided through a nonprofit called Garbo, which Tinder's parent company, Match Group, acquired in 2021. The checks will provide "public information about violent or harmful behavior, including arrests, convictions, and sex offender registry records," Match Group said in a release.
"For far too long women and traditionally marginalized groups have faced many barriers to resources and safety," said Tracey Breeden, Match Group's head of safety and social advocacy, in a statement. "Garbo's thoughtful and innovative consumer background checks will drive the industry forward while empowering people with critical information to help inform personal safety choices."
At launch, Tinder is offering people two free background checks. After that, background checks cost $2.50 each, plus a "small" processing fee, Match Group said.
The new feature comes as dating apps face increased scrutiny over how much responsibility they bear in keeping daters safe and in taking action when sexual abuse and assault are reported. In December 2020, Match Group began partnering with the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, or RAINN, to audit its practices.
Match Group said background checks will come to its other dating apps, such as Match and OkCupid, in the coming months. Background checks through Garbo are also available to the public.