Tinder Launches Face Check: Compulsory Facial Verification for US Users

Published Date : 10/24/2025 

Tinder, part of Match Group, is making Face Check, its facial verification feature, mandatory for all new and existing US users. This biometric liveness detection aims to reduce impersonation and enhance user authenticity. 

Tinder, a leading dating app under Match Group, has announced the rollout of Face Check, its facial verification feature, for all users in the United States. This biometric liveness detection technology is designed to reduce impersonation and enhance the authenticity of profiles on the platform.

Face Check is already a requirement for new users in California and several other countries. The feature uses advanced biometric technology from FaceTec to confirm that users are real and that their appearance matches their profile photos. Tinder retains the user’s “FaceMaps” and “FaceVectors” — essentially their biometric data — for the duration of their account. This data is deleted once the account is closed, as per the app’s FAQ and Privacy Policy.

According to Tinder, the verification data is shared only with its service providers to ensure the smooth operation of Face Check. The data is stored on AWS servers, and Tinder assures U.S. residents that it does not “sell” or “share” the data.

FaceTec’s technology uses 3D biometric liveness detection, which has proven highly effective in stopping spoofing attempts. In an independent evaluation, FaceTec’s technology successfully thwarted all Level 4 biometric spoof bypass attacks. Level 4 attacks involve decrypting and editing the contents of a 3D FaceMap to contain synthetic data not collected from the session, and having the server process and respond with Liveness Success. Recently, FaceTec’s technology was upgraded to Level 5 protection, further enhancing its defense against emerging GenAI-driven spoofing attempts.

New members in the UK, U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand have already undergone ID Check, which verifies age and identity against a government-issued ID. The new Face Check system, however, requires users to complete the verification process by recording a short video selfie within the app. This liveness detection prevents the creation of accounts using deepfaked identities and confirms that the person is real, present, and matches their profile photos.

Upon successful verification, users receive Tinder’s Photo Verified badge, which signifies authenticity to other users. The system also flags instances where the same face is used across multiple accounts, helping to prevent fake profiles and impersonation.

Tinder is the first major dating app to integrate mandatory facial verification directly into the onboarding experience. The feature has already launched in Colombia, Canada, Australia, India, and several Southeast Asian countries, with plans to expand to more U.S. states and global markets where regulations allow.

Early results from the deployment of Face Check show promising improvements in user safety. There has been a 60 percent drop in exposure to potential bad actors, a 40 percent reduction in reports of suspicious behavior, and increased user confidence in the authenticity of matches.

“We’re strengthening and accelerating our investments in Trust and Safety,” said Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Match Group and head of Tinder. “We’ve tested Face Check extensively and are confident in its positive impacts on the Tinder ecosystem.”

Match Group, which owns a portfolio of dating apps including Hinge, OkCupid, Match.com, and Plenty of Fish, plans to extend Face Check to other apps in its portfolio starting in 2026. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is Face Check?

A: Face Check is a facial verification feature used by Tinder to ensure that users are real and that their appearance matches their profile photos. It uses biometric technology from FaceTec to detect liveness.

Q: How does Face Check work?

A: Face Check requires users to record a short video selfie within the app. The biometric liveness detection technology confirms that the person is real, present, and matches their profile photos.

Q: Is Face Check mandatory for all users?

A: Yes, Face Check is mandatory for all new and existing users in the United States. It is already a requirement in California and several other countries.

Q: What happens to the biometric data collected by Face Check?

A: Tinder retains the user’s biometric data (FaceMaps and FaceVectors) for the duration of their account. This data is deleted once the account is closed. The data is shared only with Tinder’s service providers to ensure the smooth operation of Face Check.

Q: What are the benefits of Face Check?

A: Face Check helps reduce impersonation and enhance user authenticity. Early results show a 60 percent drop in exposure to potential bad actors, a 40 percent reduction in reports of suspicious behavior, and increased user confidence in the authenticity of matches. 

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