Dating apps to add age checks in the UK

The UK's age verification law goes into effect on July 25; sites and apps that host porn will have to install methods to verify visitors' ages. Pornhub states it will comply with the law — and so will an unlikely source: dating apps.

Users of hookup app Feeld in the UK may have noticed a pop-up declaring, "Age verification is coming."

"Heads up: To comply with local laws, age verification will soon be required to access your account."

Age verification pop-up in the Feeld app. Credit: Screenshot: Feeld / Mashable

Over the coming weeks, UK Feeld users will be prompted to verify their ages. Feeld told Mashable that it's using a third-party provider, online identity platform Yoti, in the UK to comply with the recent additions to the 2023 Online Safety Act. Users may be asked to confirm their age with a phone number or a selfie-based age estimation. Feeld won't store personal data like photos or dates of birth, the app stated. 

Feeld will start this in the UK, with additional rollouts in the U.S. and EU being evaluated based on regional requirements and members' needs.

But what about other apps? Mashable reached out to three popular options (Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge) to see how they're handling the UK law.

Which dating apps will add age-verification?

Users will need to upload at least one clear photo of their face to Tinder. Credit: Tinder / Mashable edit

Tinder

Tinder is also planning on rolling out age verification in the UK late this month to comply with the law. According to the app, users will need to upload at least one clear photo of their face, and they'll use automated technology to estimate their age.

If Tinder can't confirm one's age, the account may be "temporarily restricted while [Tinder] completes a manual review or request further verification, such as an ID check." If this happens to you, your account won't be visible to others and will have limited functionality. 

This month, Tinder started requiring new California users to verify their identity with a facial recognition scan. For years, Tinder offered photo and video verification, and last year, it started requiring an ID check if users wanted a verification badge on their profile.

Bumble

A Bumble spokesperson told Mashable that the app already has measures to prevent minors from accessing the app. 

"We remain committed to complying with the Online Safety Act by enforcing strict age verification, removing underage users, and maintaining a zero-tolerance policy on child sexual exploitation," the spokesperson stated. "As part of this, we work with global safety coalitions and use proactive moderation to keep minors off the app and ensure a safe online environment."

Bumble has had selfie verification for a long time, and more recently added ID verification.

Hinge

A Hinge spokesperson told Mashable that the app collects birth dates, phone numbers, photos, bios, and other information that can be used to verify ages. It takes action against accounts that violate its terms of service or membership principles, and Hinge has automated and human content moderators to keep minors off the app.

To comply with the UK requirements, new and existing UK Hinge users will have a clear face photo scanned to confirm the user is at least 18. Once the age check is done, a user's photo will be kept up to three months for the purpose of the age check, according to a page on Hinge's website about compliance with the UK law. Afterwards, the photo and age assurance results are kept for one year. 

For everything you need to know about UK age-verification laws, Mashable's got you covered.