Tinder users in the US can now run background checks on their matches any violent or harmful behaviour related to dating. The checks come thanks to Tinder’s partnership with Garbo, a non-profit that lets people run background checks.

These searches cost $2.50 plus a processing fee. Tinder will offer the first two searches for free to each user. However, these two searches seem to be available on a first-cum-first-serve basis as the company also announced on Wednesday that it’d allow up to 500,000 free searches across the platform. Since Garbo is a non-profit, the money charged for these searches will be used to fund their operations and any other costs associated with the searches.

The results will be relevant to the user’s safety and won’t include information like drug possession and other unrelated offences. They also won’t include any personally identifiable information like addresses or phone numbers. 

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Mainting a safe dating environment

Users can tap on the Blue Shield in the app and then navigate to the Safety Centre from there. Here, users will see a tools section with a Garbo article that redirects to the Garbo website. Once on the site, users will have to provide their match’s first name and phone number. If Garbo can’t locate a unique match, it’ll ask for more specific information, including parameters like age. 

Users have the freedom to do what they want once they have found a result. Tinder recommends that matches with a history of violence be reported. Tinder users will also get access to a dedicated Crisis Text Line within the Safety Center along with additional international and US resources like the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

According to the company’s press release, Match Group is also partnering with the National Domestic Violence Hotline to ensure survivors have round the clock access to any resources and information they might need, including a direct chat connection to Garbo. Tinder is the first Match Group to provide access to Garbo, with other Match Group US brands to follow suit in the coming months.

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