Tinder, the hugely successful dating app which launched in 2012, has shelved plans for introducing criminal records checks as a way of helping users choose their matches more carefully. Tinder's owners reportedly considered displaying a badge on users' profiles to indicate they had clean criminal records, thinking it would be a way of guaranteeing that people whose profiles were accredited were good and trustworthy.
The plans for criminal records checking for Tinder users came from a legal dispute between the dating app and its safety partner, Garbo, a non-profit organisation offering online background checks. Tinder had been working with Garbo on user background checking as a premium service for users, who may or may not have chosen to pay to have the extra badge on their dating profile to make other users more likely to swipe right.
Tinder Reservations
The idea was that Tinder proposed a system which incentivised users to conduct background checks on themselves in exchange for a profile badge. The founder of their partner background checking partner however, had reservations. She raised the point that many crimes, especially those of a sexual nature, are very under-reported, and that just because someone has a clean criminal record that doesn’t automatically mean they are a “good guy”. Critics also raised concerns that emphasising background checks could foster a false sense of security among users and shift responsibility away from Tinder to vet its users effectively.
Tinder has more recently partnered with another campaign group, with the aim of raising awareness of domestic violence and coercive control. The app also gives users warnings about using the app safely, meeting in public places and letting a trusted friend know where you are going to meet someone.
British Background Checking Laws
Under the current laws here in the UK, it is not possible for individuals to ask for background checks on prospective romantic partners, whether they have met them on Tinder or in another manner. There are however other ways of getting the police to disclose any information they have on their records about someone’s romantic partner. Clare’s Law is designed to allow people to ask the police for any intelligence or other information which they hold, especially related to violence or previous domestic abuse claims.
Making an application under Clare’s Law is similar to getting a DBS check. The process starts with an appointment at the local police station, and the completion of an application form, giving as many details as possible about the person concerned. The police will then search their records to work out whether there is anything on file which may raise concerns. This information is not limited to crimes and convictions but might also include repeated arrests or allegations which never made it to court. It is up to the person who made the application to decide what they want to do with any information the police give them. The police cannot force anyone to end a relationship if they really do not want to.
