Online dating might be a norm now, but it still comes with a whole host of awkward nuances that singles end up having to navigate, from choosing a photo that best represents you, to figuring out what the hell to write in your bio, and how to stand apart from the crowd with your opening message. And then there are the catfishes to deal with; fake accounts which use other people’s photos to deceive us.
The dating app Tinder is now allowing its users to prove they are exactly who they say they are, providing the option to “verify” their profiles with a blue checkmark, similar to social platforms like Twitter and Instagram. This will mean that Tinder has confirmed the person in the profile photo to be a genuine user.
However, unlike those other networks, blue check marks aren’t reserved for celebrities, politicians and public figures. Anybody on Tinder can request to get verified, by following a simple process that only takes a minute.
How to get verified on Tinder:
- In the app, go to your account page by tapping on the top-right head and shoulders icon.
- Next to your profile picture, you will see a grayed out tick. Tap on it, and a bubble will appear asking you if you want to verify your profile. Confirm that you do.
- Tinder will then show you a portrait of a model; using the in-app camera, you will need to strike a pose as similar as possible to that of the person in the picture, and take a photo. (You may need to allow the app to access your smartphone’s camera to do this.)
- You will be asked to submit a couple of different poses; this is to enable Tinder’s facial recognition software to ensure that you are, in fact, the same person in the photos on your profile.
- Once you have submitted the photos, Tinder will review them and let you know if you have been verified. You should get a response within a few minutes.
- If you are successful, then a blue checkmark will appear next to your name on your profile, and people swiping through the app will be able to trust that the person they see in the profile picture will be the person they are talking to.
