Tinder users as of this week will be able to run criminal background checks on matches, a feature intended to make people on the dating app feel safer.
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However, experts of sexual violence and surveillance said the move is misguided, and risks adding to biases already present in the criminal justice system, The Guardian reported.
The feature was launched in partnership with background check provider Garbo, which now lets Tinder users search whether someone has a criminal record using their name, phone number, and age.
Background checks gloss over fundamental nuances, including that most people accused of sexual violence do not interact with the criminal justice system, said Albert Fox Cahn, founder of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project.
The tool "assumes that criminal justice involvement is a relevant risk factor in finding who will pose a danger in the future, but the vast majority of abusers have no criminal record."
