DateID Verified Photos: Never Be Deceived Again
Robust Photo Verification for Online Dating (Finally)
I’m thrilled to announce DateID Verified Photos, which was the #1 most requested feature by our users. I can’t wait to tell you all about how it works.
But first, a little context.
When it comes to online dating, decisions about whether to swipe right or left, and then to engage in conversations with other users, are driven primarily by photos.
As eHarmony put it:
What matters more than anything when it comes to your online dating profile? One word: Photos. Photos can drastically increase your chances of getting more communication and dates. Or not.
Photos are clearly the most important content, yet the vast majority of dating apps have little or no photo verification. Instead, they prioritize ease of use.
#1 Complaint of Digital Daters
With appearance carrying so much weight, users have every reason to post photos where they look their best.
It came as no surprise that in our recent survey of 470 men and women we found that the number one complaint was that people looked better in their dating app photos than in person.
Younger, Hotter… Hairier
Both genders said that people they met frequently looked significantly younger and more fit.
Women in particular complained that many men had a fuller head of hair in their photos than they did in person (laugh now, but you might not if it happens to you!).
Posting misleading photos to your dating apps might get you more first dates, but it certainly will not get you more second dates. It’s a shortsighted tactic and ultimately everyone loses.
Solution: DateID Verified Photos
As a seasoned online dater who’s been misled (to put in generously) on more than one occasion, I’m delighted to be launching DateID Verified Photos. Here’s how it works:
Photos uploaded to DateID will now have the date the photo was originally taken prominently displayed, provided that the photo has IPTC metadata attached. A logo watermark is added to photos that have been verified, and users can download them for use on dating apps.
A verified photo as seen on a phone.
Users who have verified their photos also receive a badge on their profile, alongside other DateID verifications they’ve completed, including location, age and identity.
Age, location, identity and photo verifications as seen on a phone.
Date Better with DateID
First dates can already be a challenge, and the last thing you need is to worry about whether you’re going to be in for a surprise. With the addition of photos to DateID’s already robust suite of verifications, digital daters can be confident that they won’t be the victim of the most common pitfall in online dating.
FAQs
How do I get my photos verified?
If you took the photo on your phone and it's in your library, it should have the metadata DateID needs to verify it. You can upload photos directly from your phone or computer. Just make sure you use Chrome or Firefox, as Safari automatically strips all metadata when photos are uploaded.
Do any dating apps verify user photos?
With the exception of Zoosk and Badoo, popular dating apps (including Tinder, Bumble, Match, Hinge and OKCupid) take no measures to verify that photos accurately represent their users. Dating companies want people to upload as many photos as possible and are notorious for not wanting to add any friction that could discourage people from using their apps. They don't seem to mind that this can result in a negative user experience when people meet IRL.
Wait, does’t Bumble have photo verification?
Bumble says they do photo verification, but what they really do is, at best, baseline profile verification. They just want to make sure you’re a real human, not a bot or a catfish. That’s great. But it does not provide assurance that user-facing photos are recent and accurate.
Is this the same as Zoosk's photo verification?
No, not at all. Zoosk has users submit a selfie video and then a team of humans compares the video to the users' photos, and make a judgement call about whether or not the photos actually look like the person. This is helpful, but it does not seem to entirely account for the fact that a photo could both be old and look like the person. Additionally, the fact that it's subjective poses problems.
Does Badoo have photo verification?
Yes, Badoo's verification is similar to Zoosk. The main difference is that users submit a live photo instead of a video. Again, this is helpful but it does nothing to prove that dating profile photos are recent.
Doesn’t Hot or Not verify photos?
Not really. Similar to Bumble, you can submit a photo as part of the profile verification process, but it's not displayed to other users as recent. And yes, Hot or Not does still exist in 2020!
