How ID + Photo Verification work
Accepted forms of IDs for ID check
How my ID + Photo Verification information is used
What information is kept after ID + Photo Verification is complete
How to delete my ID + Photo Verification information
Get more information about Tinder’s data practices, including my privacy rights
ID + Photo Verification is an optional process that allows you to show that the photo on your ID, and at least one of your profile photos, looks like you. Once you’re done, you’ll get a badge on your profile to show people that you’ve completed the ID + Photo Verification process.
You'll also be able to see whether other Tinder profiles have completed this optional process. That way you can make more informed decisions about who you interact with on Tinder. It’s important to note that this feature doesn't guarantee the validity of the ID or the safety of a particular user. Always use your best judgment and review our Safety Tips before meeting or sharing personal details with a potential match.
Note: ID + Photo Verification is only available to some people in select test markets, on iOS, Android, and tinder.com.
How ID + Photo Verification work
ID + Photo Verification consists of two steps: (1) Photo Verification, and (2) an ID Check. If you've already completed Photo Verification separately, you won't need to go through the first step again. Once both steps are successfully completed, you'll receive a blue check mark on your profile.
- The Photo Verification step starts with scanning the face in your video selfie. This helps us determine whether a real, live person took the video, and that it wasn't digitally altered or manipulated. When you take a video selfie, your facial geometry, which may be considered “biometric information” in some places (called “Verification Data” here) will be used and stored to check your profile photos, reduce fraud, and help ensure that no other profile is using your likeness. This data is also used to help check whether the person in your video selfie appears to be the same person as in your ID photo and at least one profile photo. Your facial geometry data is then retained for the life of your account to maintain your ID + Photo badge, allowing you to update and change your profile photos while still maintaining your badge. Your video selfie is deleted and isn't added to your profile, but we keep two screenshots from your video selfie for the purposes of auditing and managing this feature.
- The ID Check step involves Tinder checking an upload of a government-issued identification document. The tool checks to see whether the photo on the ID matches the face from the video selfie in the Photo Verification step and at least one profile photo. If you've already completed Photo Verification, the photo on the ID is checked against your stored facial recognition information, and you won’t be asked to take another video selfie. Tinder also checks to see whether the date of birth on the ID is over 18 and matches the information on your profile. If the information doesn't match, the date on your profile is updated using the information from the submitted ID. A redacted photo of your ID is retained for the life of your account to audit this feature. We also retain the name on the ID for the life of the account for the purpose of auditing and validating the verification.
For more details about how the above information is used, stored, and deleted, please see the sections below.
Accepted forms of IDs for ID Check
For the ID Check step in our ID + Photo Verification process, we accept a variety of government-issued photo identification documents (IDs). Supported photo IDs include most driver’s licenses, passports, and national ID cards.
When submitting your ID, make sure to provide a full view that clearly shows your photo, name, and date of birth.
How my ID + Photo Verification information is used
We use the data collected for the purpose of processing your request for ID + Photo Verification. To perform the Photo Verification process, we use the facial geometry information from your video selfie and at least one profile photo. To perform the ID Check process, we use the photo from your ID, the name and date of birth from your ID, and a redacted screenshot of the front of your ID card. See “How ID + Photo Verification work” above for detailed information about how this information is used to provide the feature. If you're located in the United States and participate in our ID Verification process, your information will also be used to undergo a registered sex offender (RSO) check (see Required background checks for US residents).
What information is kept after ID + Photo Verification is complete
For the Photo Verification step, we'll keep two screenshots from your video selfie for the life of your account to audit and manage the Photo Verification portion of this feature. We also store the facial geometry information from your video selfie for the life of your account in order to allow you to maintain your ID + Photo Verified Badge as you update and change your profile photos.
For the ID Check step, we keep a copy of the photo of you from your ID, the name on your ID, and a redacted photo of the front of your ID, for the life of your account to audit this feature. The redacted photo of your ID only shows the information outlined above in “How my ID + Photo Verification Information is used,” and hides any other information like your address, physical characteristics, and ID number or barcodes.
We’ll also keep the results of the overall process (i.e., successful or not).
We store the information above on our Amazon Web Service (AWS) servers. If you want to learn more, check out AWS’s privacy practices. We don't share your facial geometry information and screenshots with any other third parties.
Once your account is closed, the information above is deleted in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
How to delete my ID + Photo Verification information
Your ID + Photo Verification Information includes your (1) facial geometry data (which is the facial ‘template’ used to complete the Photo Verification check), (2) the information pulled from your ID as set out above, (3) a redacted copy of the front of your ID, and (4) your video selfie screenshots. Please see below for information on how to delete these types of data.
Facial Geometry Data
You can delete your facial geometry data by deleting your Tinder account through the app’s Settings page.
Why do I need to delete my account to delete this data?
Tinder’s ID + Photo Verified Badge is a great way to help show potential matches that you really look like your profile pictures and the photo of your ID. To help ensure that users aren't misled or confused about whether their matches are still ID + Photo Verified, we don't allow users to delete their facial geometry data (thereby disabling ID + Photo Verification) without also resetting their matches and starting again with a regular, unverified account. This requirement is intended to prevent abuse of the ID + Photo Verified Badge and to ensure other users can be confident about whether their matches continue to maintain their ID + Photo Verified accounts.
When you close your account, the information above is deleted in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Data pulled from the ID, and the Redacted Copy of the ID
We keep the information pulled from your ID (set out in detail above in “What information is kept after ID + Photo Verification is complete”) to maintain your ID verification.
We also keep a redacted copy of your ID for the life of your account to audit this feature. The redacted photo of your ID only displays the information outlined above in “How my ID + Photo Verification Information is used,” and irreversibly redacts any other information like your address, physical characteristics, and ID number or barcode.
If you’d like to delete the information pulled from your ID, or the redacted ID, you can delete your account as set out immediately above. We require that users delete their accounts and start again with an unverified account, for the same reasons as set out above.
Video Selfie Screenshots
You can request deletion of the two screenshots from your video selfie by writing to our Support team. In any event, this information is deleted upon account closure, in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
RSO checks for US residents
If you're located in the United States and participate in our ID Verification process, your information will be used to undergo a registered sex offender (RSO) check. When you provide your US ID, Tinder will run an RSO check using a third party service provider. The following information is shared with this site to run the check:
- First Name, Middle, and Last Name
- Date of Birth
If information is found through this check, your account will then go through a manual review and our team will take action accordingly. For additional information, please see our Terms of Service.
This process helps us maintain a safer environment on Tinder.
Note: RSO checks aren't performed in Maine currently due to legal restrictions.
Get more information about Tinder’s data practices, including my privacy rights
Visit our Privacy Policy to learn more about our privacy practices, including the Your Rights section.
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