Dating Apps Lose Sex Offender Background Check Service

In 2021, headlines blared the big news across virtually every tech publication: major dating apps would get background checks. Now, that person who swiped right on your profile might have the opportunity to check your criminal record before deciding on a date. Users could possibly request a sex offender background check to make sure they weren't placing themselves in potential danger.

What would this mean for the future of Tinder and other major dating apps owned by Match Group, such as Hinge? As it turns out, that future arrived surprisingly quickly despite the initial hopes of Garbo, the nonprofit dedicated to supporting background check services in dating apps. After two years, the deal between Match Group and Garbo is dead, and Garbo will soon cease operations.

According to a statement by Garbo, the company faced significant headwinds and a lack of commitment from its digital partners. In particular, the statement notes that dating apps wanted to boil the screening process down to placing a simple badge on profiles with a supposedly "clean" background check. Rather than letting users decide for themselves, the apps wanted more control—and more ways to ensure that background checks would not harm engagement and thus harm their bottom line.

Garbo's statement notes that the reluctance of Match Group developers to deploy a robust vetting service is not an uncommon attitude across the tech world. Indeed, many social apps have come under fire in recent years for prioritizing profits over user safety.

It's challenging to know the truth about who you speak to online—that's been true since the birth of the internet. Today, though, the internet connects virtually everyone, and direct meetings between online users are far more common. That's the whole point of dating apps, after all. Without strong background checks, the risk of abuse and real danger from such apps increases dramatically. Now, if someone asked, "Can a sex offender pass a background check on Tinder?" the answer is simply, "They don't even have to try."

Dating apps aren't the only place we let strangers into our lives via the internet today. Hiring rideshare drivers, renting to guests via Airbnb, and even recruiting for jobs such as tutoring all occur in this digital sphere. Rather than seeing background checks as a barrier to a profitable enterprise, businesses should recognize that embracing such practices builds public trust and protects people.

Users want to know the answers to questions such as "Does harassment show up on a background check?" For businesses that enable others to hire contractors and other service providers digitally, providing informative resources and conducting thorough background checks shouldn't be optional. Instead, it should be a core effort centered around protecting users, shielding the business with due diligence, and delivering the best possible service.

The right screening partner can make a difference for companies motivated to demonstrate a commitment to trust and safety. At backgroundchecks.com, our years of experience and advanced reporting products make us a valuable asset for any employer—especially today's digital service providers. With the world of online dating losing a valuable asset for vetting, now is the time to rethink how your company approaches everything from basic vetting to a sex offender background check.