Bumble Introduces ID Verification as Part of Broader Safety Upgrade

If Bumble has learned anything over the last few years, it’s how growth is fleeting – and safety is forever. 

Bumble has released a slew of safety-centered features that it hopes will revive user trust and promote engagement. 

“We’re always looking for new ways to help you stay safe when you date,” Bumble said on its site. This mirrors CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd’s recent comments about making Bumble “a dating experience that puts you first — your safety, wellbeing, trust, and your success.” 

Bumble’s most prominent safety feature rollout is ID verification. DatingNews spoke to Simon Newman of the Online Dating and Discovery Association about the importance of ID verification, and the role it can play in the online dating industry going forward: 

“ID verification is an essential part of an effective trust and safety strategy and should be incorporated into every dating platform,” he told us. “Fortunately, there are an increasing number of solutions on the market that can help dating platforms verify the identity of their users in a seamless and cost-effective way.”

Some of Bumble’s new features are similar to those launched by Match Group-owned Tinder in the last few years, including Share My Date (which allows users to inform their friends where they’re going on a date and with whom) and ID Verification. 

Competition among dating apps these days is as much about safety as it is about making matches. 

The safety tools developed by both Tinder and Bumble seek to achieve the same goal: to make users feel more confident that the app will keep them safe. And, of course, for the app to actually follow through on this promise. 

ID Verification Is Becoming An Industry Standard

Three in 4 Bumble users told the app back in February that they prioritize their personal safety when choosing a dating app. With this in mind, it’s no wonder Bumble has introduced ID verification.

ID verification may not have been a priority back when Bumble first hit the App Store, but in today’s fraud-ridden landscape, it’s a crucial anti-scam tool. ID verification is a leading line of defense against romance scammers and even catfish. 

Bumble is not the first dating app to implement ID verification. Niche dating apps with higher likelihoods of scammers safer, such as senior-based apps, sugar dating apps, and LGBTQ+ dating apps like Grindr, use it to protect people’s information. 

Now, ID verification has become more than mainstream. It’s an industry standard. 

“Platforms that rely on users self-certifying (for example, where the content is designed for over 18s only), or simply accept a copy of an ID document without any form of additional checks to verify the integrity of the document, are leaving themselves open to fraudsters and other bad actors, which puts users at risk,” Newman told us. 

This is probably why Bumble’s version of ID verification requires a user to provide their government ID to verify their identity. When confirmed, a badge will appear on their profile that indicates to other users that they are definitely who they say they are — no fraudsters or catfish here. 

If a Bumble user is wary of a badge-less match’s veracity, they can ask them to use the ID verification tool. The match’s response should tell them everything they need to know about their trustworthiness. 

Bumble made ID verification a priority after 80% of Gen Z survey participants said they would rather meet up with someone whose profile has been confirmed by a reliable source, in this case, the ID verification tool. 

So far, the tool is available in the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada, France, India, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Mexico, and New Zealand. It will probably expand further over time. 

Bumble is Prioritizing Common Safety Concerns 

Gone is the carefree hookup culture that reigned supreme on dating apps 10 years ago. Romance scams are an overwhelming issue on dating apps, prompting developers to think of innovative solutions. 

Bumble’s Review Before You Send feature was originally meant to help people hone compliments, but the app has modified the tool to improve safety and comfort, too. 

“If you’re about to send a message that doesn’t meet our guidelines, we’ll give you a chance to reconsider and edit it,” Bumble explained. “During our tests, about 40% of people chose to alter their messages after getting an alert.” 

Part of Bumble’s safety strategy with this new feature is to encourage users to stop and reconsider their actions before clicking “send.” Again, this feature could go a long way to foster a more comfortable and confident atmosphere on Bumble, which is part of the app’s overall goals. 

Even Bumble’s new Discover page — which, TechCrunch pointed out, shares similarities with Tinder’s Explore page — is meant to keep likeminded users together, promoting bonding and safe connections. 

“All these features are free and are designed to make your Bumble experience feel not just more personalized, but more aligned with what you’re looking for. Because dating should be enjoyable and respectful,” according to Bumble.