After making it mandatory for California users, Tinder is requiring face checks for all new US users from October 2025. By the end of this first quarter in 2026, Match Group expects Tinder to launch face check globally.
Where it has been rolled out, the company claims that the face-checking feature has reduced interactions with bad actors (accounts that engage in deceptive or harmful behavior such as spam and scam attempts) by more than 50 percent.
Is the hinge really ‘designed to be removed’? I tested it to find out.
Hinge says it will test the feature in Mexico, Brazil, Australia and Canada this quarter. A spokesperson told Mashable that more details about the US rollout of Face Check are coming soon, with testing starting as early as next month.
Mashable Trend Report
Hinge is also preparing to test Direct to Date, according to Q4 2025 prepared remarks, “which makes clear the intention to accelerate IRL plans.”
Hinge told Mashable that the app is exploring a new way to help daters plan a first date as soon as they match — including sharing their availability, as well as date activities they’re interested in. Testing is planned for this spring.
Hinge remains the darling of Match Group’s apps, as Q4 results show. Paying users and direct revenue again increased quarterly and annually, while Tinder declined.
In December, Hinge founder Justin McLeod announced he was leaving Hinge to start an AI dating service that has not yet been unveiled.
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