The latest in helping singles find their future mate – a height validation badge. Tinder will now validate a user’s height ensuring (a little) honesty in the online dating community.
Only 15% of the population is taller than six feet, although Tinder has found that over 80% of their male users claim to be six feet or taller.
The technology to validate the height of anything is actually simple. You stand next to a well-known structure, like a commercial building or a famous sculpture, and snap a pic. My guess is the same technology could be applied to a vehicle (although not yet offered by Tinder). An algorithm, using spatial software, analyzes your height against the details of the construction. This software is not new technology; house design apps help clients determine if a couch will fit in their living room. Clothing apps help determine the best size and shape of an article of clothing based on photos of the individual.
The difference now, dating apps (Tinder) are validating all sorts of data, while collecting new data. If you ever used Tinder, you know that it partners with Facebook (to ensure you are a real person and for the photos), Instagram (for photos), and Spotify (for your music taste). Collecting “validated data” and meshing it with other personal data that is owned by the same parent company. PS the parent company of Tinder manages more than a half dozen other dating apps, each collects personal data, each with different user validation techniques.
Now if they would validate that the pictures are recent, that would be a definite win!