Beginning this week, Tinder will mandate that new users in California validate their identity through a facial recognition scan known as “Face Check,” according to a report by Axios.

Tinder’s Face Check prompts users to capture a video selfie during profile creation to verify the authenticity of their profile pictures. This biometric scan is processed by the software FaceTec. After completion, users receive a badge on their profiles indicating they are photo-verified.

Additionally, Tinder will utilize this feature to determine if individuals possess multiple profiles, as reported by Axios, and the application will retain an encrypted facial map to identify duplicate profiles.

This initiative builds on the verification techniques Tinder has implemented previously, including photo verification in 2021 and video verification in 2023. Last year, Tinder began requiring an ID verification for users seeking a verification badge on their profiles. In 2024, Tinder also introduced Share My Date, a safety feature allowing users to share match details with trusted contacts.

Face Check has already been launched in Colombia and Canada, and Yoel Roth, Match Group’s head of trust and safety, informed Axios that California was selected next due to the state’s online privacy regulations and the size and demographics of the market. (Match Group is the parent company of Tinder, as well as Hinge, OkCupid, and numerous other dating applications.)

Concerns regarding safety on dating apps have increased in recent years, with platforms like Tinder responding by adding more safety features. For instance, Bumble introduced its own Share Date option and ID verification in March. Some users express frustration that dating apps swiftly ban individuals without providing explanations, while a report from February indicated that Match Group failed to adequately ban malicious users from its platforms or notify law enforcement.

Although Face Check is presently required only for new users in California, Roth mentioned to Axios that Tinder will evaluate user feedback to decide if the requirement should be extended to other markets.

Match Group CEO and recently appointed Tinder CEO Spencer Rascoff has several new initiatives he is implementing in his role. One of his new “product principles,” which he shared on LinkedIn in late May, is “safety is fundamental.”

“Our users deserve and expect the safest possible environment when engaging with new individuals,” he posted on LinkedIn. “It is both a moral and business obligation to prioritize safety in every feature we design, policy we enact, and interaction we facilitate.”

Mashable has reached out to Tinder for further comments.