This week Tinder launched a new safety feature that – for now – can only be accessed by users in the US.
That feature is a background check powered by non-profit organisation Garbo. Whether the founder Kathryn Kosmides knows that Garbo is also Australian slang for a garbage collector is unclear, but if they don’t it’s a really happy accident.
Garbo helps people access public information about harmful behaviour perpetrated by individuals. This includes information about arrests, sex offender registry records, convictions and more.
“We know that the biggest indicator of future abuse or violence is a history of these types of behaviors. Whether it’s online dating or the dozens of other ways we meet strangers in today’s digital age, we should know if we’re potentially putting our safety at risk,” Kosmides explains. “We want to protect those most vulnerable to experiencing harm both online and offline and this is just the first step in delivering on our mission to help proactively prevent harm in the digital age.”
Tinder users will be able to run two free background checks with each check thereafter carrying a $2.50 fee, as well as a “small processing fee”. Garbo is available to all US citizens and can be accessed on Tinder via the app’s Safety Center.
In order to run the background check users will need to fill in basic information about their match. Tinder says that typically all that’s needed is a first name and a phone number. The problem here is that if Garbo turns up nothing you may have to provide more information.
Furthermore, while Garbo works alongside the National Center for Victims of Crime, Center for Court Innovation and Ending Technology-Enabled Abuse, it may not have access to every criminal database available. Tinder even warns that just because a person doesn’t have a profile on Garbo, that doesn’t automatically mean they are safe.
The big question here is whether this feature will roll out to the rest of the world. On that we’re not hopeful as Garbo seems primed for serving the North American market exclusively.
Still, perhaps Tinder would be open to partnering with more organisations like Garbo around the world. Should background checks become available in more parts of the world we will of course share this news with our readers.
