Safety

Imagine opening your dating app and being told you need to scan your face before you can keep using it. No scan, no matches. That’s not a future scenario, it’s already happening for Tinder users in the Netherlands.

As of April 2026, Tinder has made biometric face scans mandatory for users in the country. The move is designed to tackle one of online dating’s biggest frustrations: fake profiles. But while it promises a more authentic experience, it also raises an important question, how much of your personal data are you willing to trade for better matches?

According to a report from IamExpat, users must now complete a facial scan to continue using the app, with the feature becoming a required part of Tinder’s updated privacy policy.

If you’ve ever used Tinder, Hinge, Match.com, or OkCupid, recent news may have raised some questions about your privacy and safety online. A cybersecurity incident involving Match Group has put user data into the spotlight and reminded all of us how important digital security is in the dating world.

How secure is your favorite dating app? According to a new study from the Business Digital Index, a staggering 75% of the 24 largest dating apps received a grade of D or F in cybersecurity—a mood-killer you didn’t swipe for.

Dating apps don’t just store your favorite selfies or witty first lines—they often hold deeply personal data: messages, orientation, even payment info. When security systems fail, the fallout can be devastating.

Dating app Hinge is taking payment processing for its app into its own hands, and out of the control of the App Store.

Hinge CEO Justin McLeod was recently interviewed on the Decoder podcast and said the company would like to introduce the new payment system by the end of the year.

This is big news for dating apps, and for developers in general who have litigated to bypass the monopoly-like hold Apple and Google have on their payment platforms. To make their apps available on the iOS App Store for users to download, Hinge has had to agree to giving a percentage of every purchase made by its users to Apple.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has issued a critical security alert for Americans using dating apps when traveling in Mexico due to several confirmed reports of kidnapping.

According to Newsweek, the Guadalajara Consulate confirmed reports of US citizens being kidnapped by people they met via dating apps, particularly in popular tourist destinations like the Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Nayarit areas.

"Victims and their family members in the United States have at times been extorted for large sums of money to secure their release," the security notice said.

Bumble appears to be matching its users with people they have already blocked, according to a report from Rolling Stone.

The app has come under fire after this practice came to light over social media. According to Rolling Stone, professor Jennie Young at University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, who specializes in rhetoric and gender studies, shared a post on Instagram with a screenshot from Bumble’s support center after asking them why she was matching with users she previously blocked.

“Bumble will show you people you have swiped left/blocked on in the past — in case you have changed your mind,” the screenshot captured of Bumble's response.