Dating app Tinder will give US users a way to check if people are likely to be found guilty of violent crimes, a test that experts warn has limitations.
The app’s parent company Match Group announced on Wednesday that it will begin offering access to Garbo, a new online US background check platform that can tell if someone has a history of violence. force or not.
After navigating to Garbo via Tinder In the app, the user then enters a name, phone number or other details about a potential date to check arrests, convictions and sex offender registration information.
Dating apps, including Tinder, have been pressured to act after women reported being sexually assaulted by men they connected with via the platform.
“This is just the first step in fulfilling our mission to help proactively prevent harm in the digital age,” Garbo founder Kathryn Kosmides said in a statement. declare.
Match says up to 500,000 Garbo searches will be free, and after that, a check will cost $2.50 (about Rs 190) plus a processing fee.
The search results, Garbo said, exclude certain violations such as drug possession, loitering or living in obscurity, and do not provide personal details such as home addresses and phone numbers.
The company, in a blog post, said the service aims to prevent violence by providing information, but notes its limitations.
“Most violent individuals never interact with the criminal justice system, and Garbo does not have access to all records across the United States due to authority challenges,” the post said. .
Sexual violence researcher Nicole Bedera told AFP that sexual assault often goes unreported to authorities and documented cases encounter barriers in the justice system.
“It’s a very prosecuted crime. And even if cases are moved through the criminal justice system – no matter what country you’re in – you’re going to see a low conviction rate,” she added. .
Sarah Lageson, an associate professor at Rutgers School of Criminal Justice, pointed to the incompleteness of their criminal record information as well as their racial bias.
“Many white sex predators have no criminal record, and many Blacks have misleading or unfair convictions,” she noted.
Garbo, for his part, points to the realities and risks of the present moment.
“In today’s digital age, we’re connecting with more strangers than ever before – yet we know less and less about the people we’re meeting,” the company notes. note.
“What if we could proactively prevent some of the harm to ourselves and our communities?” it asked.
