Tinder's parent company expands background checks to more dating apps

Tinder's parent company has expanded its background check feature to two more of its dating apps. Now, daters on Match Group's namesake app and Stir, created for single parents, can run background checks on potential matches.

The feature was unrolled earlier this year on Tinder, allowing users to screen dates through an integrated service. The checks are conducted by non-profit platform Garbo, which aims to prevent harm in the digital age by offering public information on a person's violent or harmful behavior.

Garbo searches cost $2.50 with a processing fee of $0.75. Users who pay for the apps will receive four free searches via Garbo, while free users will receive two each.

Match and Stir will each offer a prompt to the service through the apps' chat feature, linking to Garbo. You can also find the background check option through Match's safety center.

Match and Garbo's background check feature will be made available for U.S.-based users, and the company said further expansion of these services in the country was ahead.

"We believe people have the right to access public records about someone who they might want to meet, particularly information that can impact safety, Tracey Breeden, head of safety and social advocacy for Match Group, wrote in a blog post on Tuesday.

Garbo's aim is to conduct low-cost background checks, democratizing access to information without being invasive. The details provided do not include personal information such as one's home address, setting the service apart from other companies offering traditional screening.

The company also keeps in mind bias within the criminal justice system, noting that communities of color are often judged and punished more harshly. Drug possession charges, homelessness and non-criminal traffic violations are some of the non-violent offenses that Garbo excludes from its checks.

"We also recognize that background checks are not perfect and it’s just one tool our users can utilize when deciding if they want to meet someone off app," Breeden wrote. "To improve systems and make society safer, we all have a role to play. Our approach to safety is multifaceted and is centered around helping prevent, disrupt and respond to potential harm."