Tinder Rolls Out AI-Powered Update to Photo Verification Feature to Enhance Safety and Reduce Bots

Tinder is introducing an AI-powered update to its Photo Verification feature, which is intended to make the app safer for its members. Tinder's Photo Verification feature has been around for some time, and it has allowed users to verify that they are not a bot or catfisher by taking pictures of themselves and following some instructions.

However, the update requires a video selfie instead of photos to create a "liveness" check that ensures people are who they say they are, weeding out spammers and fraudulent profiles. The video selfie will replace the option to upload photos, and it will be a more robust verification process for users. Tinder is working with a third-party vendor to manage the video selfie verification process, but the vendor was not named.

Tinder users aiming to be Photo Verified or maintain their current verification will have to take a video selfie. The company says that the new model will require the user to complete a series of video prompts, which the AI will use to match the person in the video with the profile photo that needs to be verified.

Additionally, Tinder will introduce new features, including allowing users to restrict their chats to only those members who are also Photo Verified, and allowing members to request Matches to Photo Verify before they can send a message. Tinder Gold subscribers will also be able to filter their "Likes" page for Photo Verified members only.

The company claims that the Photo Verification feature has been proven to increase matches on the service, as users feel more assured that their potential match is a real person, not a bot or a fake profile. Tinder says among its 18 to 25-year-old users, being Photo Verified gives them a 10% higher chance to match. The Photo Verification feature has started to roll out to Tinder's global users, while the ability to restrict messages to "Photo Verified Members" only will arrive in the coming months.