News

Tinder Will Soon Let You Background Check Your Matches

Published

5 years ago

March 22, 2021

tinder will soon let you background check your matches

Tinder dates are about to become a bit less nerve-wracking because the company behind the online dating application, Match Group, has invested in low-cost background check provider Garbo.

Thanks to Garbo, Tinder users will be able to see their potential date’s arrest record or history of violence just by entering the person’s first name and phone number or their full name only — information they should have before going on a date.

Garbo’s database includes public records and reports of violence or abuse, including arrests, convictions, restraining orders, harassment, and other violent crimes. The service accepts manual submissions of police report(s), order(s) of protection/restraining orders, and other legal documents that report abuse, harassment, or other crimes.

Garbo doesn’t, however, publicize charges that, according to the platform’s active stance toward equity, promote racism, hate, and oppression. “Garbo is acutely aware of systemic racial inequality in America and that the intimations of this are embedded in the criminal justice system,” explained Garbo in a blog post.

Most notably, Garbo believes that there’s no link between drug possession and gender-based violence, the company’s main focus. In addition to drug possession charges, Garbo also doesn’t disclose traffic violations, so don’t be surprised when your Tinder date runs a red light when speeding to make your restaurant reservation on time.

Also Read: Twitter Is Testing Two New Useful Features

The background check feature won’t be free, but Tinder’s parent company is trying to make it as accessible as possible. It’s possible that Tinder will charge for each background check, but the dating app could also include a certain number of background checks in each of its premium subscription plans.

Since Match Group also owns OkCupid, Hinge, and, of course, Match, it’s likely that their users will get to enjoy the ability to run background checks on potential dates in the near future. It’s worth noting that Match Group won’t share any data with Garbo, so it will be up to users themselves to enter the necessary information manually.

News

Max Fashion Brings AI Virtual Try-Ons To Gulf Online Shoppers

Landmark Group’s value fashion brand is using Google Cloud’s generative AI to tackle the returns problem that has dogged ecommerce since its beginning.

Published

3 days ago

June 13, 2026

Joanna Melki

max fashion brings ai virtual try-ons to gulf online shoppers

Buying clothes online has always involved a gamble. A garment that looks right on a model may hang differently on the person ordering it, and the result is a cycle of returns that costs retailers money and customers patience. Max Fashion, part of Dubai-based Landmark Group, is betting that generative AI can improve the experience.

The brand has launched what it describes as one of the region’s first virtual try-on experiences, built on Google Cloud’s Virtual Try-On API and generative AI vision models delivered through the Gemini Enterprise platform. Starting in the UAE, shoppers browsing Max’s digital platforms can see realistic previews of how garments drape, fit and move across different body types before committing to a purchase.

google cloud max fashion partnership

For many online shoppers, uncertainty is the single biggest barrier between scrolling and buying. “It helps address real purchase barriers, particularly around fit and confidence, while allowing us to create a richer and more engaging shopping journey,” explained Hani Weiss, chief executive officer of Max Fashion, who framed the rollout as part of the brand’s ambition to make fashion more accessible.

Bala Subramaniam, senior vice president and head of omnichannel at Max, seemed even more enthusiastic about the technology: “For the first time, a customer browsing on their phone has the same confidence as one standing in our fitting room”.

Also Read: Instagram Now Lets You Tune Its Algorithm, But There’s One Big Catch

Whether AI previews can genuinely match a fitting room remains to be proven at scale. The technology’s value will depend on how accurately it renders fabric and fit across the full range of bodies that shop at a value fashion brand, and on whether shoppers trust what they see enough to change their behavior.

For Google Cloud, the deployment is also a statement about where regional retail is heading. “AI-driven personalization is no longer a luxury, it is a core business imperative for forward-thinking retailers,” says Ziad Jammal, general manager for Google Cloud UAE, Levant and North Africa. If the returns data eventually backs that up, the rest of the region’s retailers will be watching closely.