Main points
- Tinder is testing iris scanning to verify users to distinguish real people from bots.
- The partnership with World provides bonuses for users who pass biometric verification.
Tinder verifies users through eye scans / Unsplash / Good Faces Agency
Tinder is launching an unusual user verification method – iris scanning. The idea is supposed to help distinguish real people from bots and scammers, but it raises questions about privacy and data security.
Dating service Tinder has announced a partnership with Sam Altman's World project, which will allow users to verify their identity by scanning their irises with a special Orb device, Futurism reports.
Will eye scanning help get rid of bots on Tinder?
The technology is being developed by a startup called Tools for Humanity . The company positions it as a way to prove that an account belongs to a real person, and not a bot or a scammer. The problem of fake profiles has long been one of the main ones for dating services, and the new approach should help combat it.
During the presentation, Sam Altman said that the Internet will soon have more content created by artificial intelligence than by humans. According to him, the key challenge is to learn to clearly distinguish one from the other.
To encourage users to get verified, Tinder offers bonuses . After scanning and receiving a so-called World ID, the user receives five boosts – a feature that increases the visibility of the profile for 30 minutes. Such options are usually paid and can cost up to $ 10 per activation.
The World project previously operated under the name Worldcoin . Its concept was similar – people scanned their irises, receiving an ID and the WLD cryptocurrency. However, this model attracted a lot of criticism. In fact, users were encouraged to give biometric data in exchange for tokens, the value of which dropped significantly – from $7.50 at the start to about 25 cents.
In addition, an MIT Technology Review investigation has highlighted questionable methods for recruiting people for scans, particularly in poorer countries. Some governments have already responded to these risks. In the European Union, the company was ordered to delete iris scan data collected in the region. In Kenya, Worldcoin was suspended in 2023, and the regulator in the UK announced an inspection.
Despite the controversy, the Tinder partnership could be a chance for World to scale . The service currently claims 18 million users with World ID. At the same time, Tinder’s audience is much larger – about 50 million active users every week. It is this base that the new biometric project is trying to reach.