Mandatory Liveness, Photo Verification, and Duplicate Account Detection
Having Trouble with Face Check Scan or Need a Refund?
Why is Hinge requiring a face scan?
We’re requiring that users complete a biometric Face Check™ scan with a video selfie in order to help make Hinge a more authentic place. When you take a video selfie, your facial geometry, which may be considered “biometric information” in some places, will be used and stored to estimate your age, check your profile photos, reduce fraud, and help detect whether other profiles are using your likeness. After successfully completing your video selfie, and if your profile photos contain a clear, solo face photo that matches the face in your video selfie, you’ll automatically receive a Selfie Verified badge on your profile.
It’s important to note that this feature doesn't guarantee the identity or safety of a particular user. Always use your best judgment and review our Safe Dating Advice before meeting or sharing personal details.
How does this process work?
This process is as simple as taking a quick video selfie. We use facial scanning technology to check that the video was taken of a real, live person, and that it was not digitally altered or manipulated. This technology also detects your face in your video selfie and your profile photos, and uses your facial geometry (“FaceMap”) to generate a unique number (“FaceVector”).
The data generated and processed by this feature (“Verification Data”) is retained for the purposes set out below in “How is my Verification Data used?”
How is my Verification Data used?
Your video selfie is assessed to ensure that you are a real person, and is then promptly deleted. Your FaceMap is used to estimate your age, and to help check whether the person in your video selfie appears to be the same person as in your profile photos. Your FaceVector is compared to FaceVectors for other accounts to help detect whether other profiles are using your likeness.
You may also opt to use your Verification Data to access additional optional features that also use the same information.
Your original video selfie is not kept or added to your profile. We keep your age estimate and three audit images from your video selfie for the purposes of managing Face Check, certain compliance obligations, and confirming your likeness. We may also use your age estimate and audit images to train select machine learning models that power our trust and safety tools, as well as to test and audit such models and tools.
We may also use Verification Data when necessary to troubleshoot and ensure the smooth operation of our Face Check feature, or when necessary to ensure the safety and security of our service and users, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
What will you keep after this process is complete?
Your Verification Data is retained so that we can continue to check profile photos as you change and update your photos over time, as well as to help detect whether other accounts are using your likeness. To do so, FaceMaps and FaceVectors are retained for the lifetime of an account, and are deleted within 30 days of account closure, unless continued retention is necessary to comply with an applicable legal obligation or to ensure the safety and security of our service and users, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
As noted above, your original video selfie is not retained or added to your profile, but we keep three audit images from your video selfie. The results of the Selfie Verification process (i.e., successful or not), and your age estimate are saved until 90 days after your account is closed (or 2 years if the account is banned). Audit images are kept for 90 days after account closure, or up to the duration of the account ban, if applicable.
Will third parties receive my data?
Verification Data is only shared with Hinge’s service providers when necessary to manage, troubleshoot, or ensure the smooth operation of our Face Check feature. Verification Data is stored securely on Match Group Americas, LLC’s AWS servers.
Hinge is part of the Match Group family of businesses, and we may, solely to the extent permitted by applicable law, share Verification Data between our Affiliates to make all Match Group services safer (e.g., identifying and banning violating accounts).
US Residents: We do not “sell” or “share” Verification Data, as such terms may be defined by applicable privacy law in your state.
How do I delete my Verification Data?
You can delete your Verification Data by deleting your Hinge account through the app’s settings page. Data is then deleted as described above and in accordance with Hinge’s Privacy Policy. To learn more about how to delete your account, please visit “How do I delete my account?”.
Why do I need to delete my account in order to delete my Verification Data?
If you live in a region where completing a biometric face scan for our Face Check feature is required, you cannot delete your Verification Data without deleting your account. This is a condition of being on the Hinge service.
Under what legal authority do you process my Verification Data?
We process this information with your consent.
This may change depending on the applicable law in your jurisdiction. In Brazil, for instance, we process your Verification Data to support fraud prevention and to safeguard security in the identification and authentication processes for registration in electronic systems. In those cases, references to consent in the context of the sign-up process will be considered as acceptance of the Face Check process to get a Selfie Verified badge, rather than consent for personal data processing purposes. You can find out more about this in our Privacy Policy.
How do I withdraw my consent?
In the countries where we rely on your consent, you can withdraw it by deleting your Hinge account as described above.
How do I find more information about Hinge’s data practices, including my privacy rights?
Visit our Privacy Policy to learn more about our privacy practices, including the Your Rights section.
California residents may also refer to Hinge’s California Privacy Statement.
Where is Face Check required?
Hinge is rolling out Face Check on a phased basis, where local regulations permit, on iOS and Android. Also, please note that you may be required to complete Face Check if you change the location on your profile to a region where Face Check is required.
Having trouble?
If you’re experiencing trouble with capturing your video selfie, you can exit the face scan flow and start again.
Still struggling with Face Check? Here are a few quick tips: :
- Make sure your face is well-lit and fully visible
- Avoid wearing sunglasses, hats, or anything obstructing your face
- In your Profile Photos, avoid adding group photos or photos that have been altered or filtered
- Try to maintain a neutral facial expression when completing Face Check
If you experience any issues or have feedback about this process, please feel free to contact us!
What if I made a purchase before completing Face Check?
In some cases, you may be able to make a purchase (like a Subscription) before completing Face Check. However, if you fail Face Check, you won’t be able to access Discover, send likes, or use many of Hinge’s core features until verification is complete.
If you no longer wish to continue with your subscription, you can request a refund by following the steps outlined here: How can I Request a Refund?
What if I have another question?
Contact us anytime!