News
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
Google Releases Veo 2 AI Video Tool To MENA Users
The state-of-the-art video generation model is now available in Gemini, offering realistic AI-generated videos with better physics, motion, and detail.
Starting today, users of Gemini Advanced in the MENA region — and globally — can tap into Veo 2, Google’s next-generation video model.
Originally unveiled in 2024, Veo 2 has now been fully integrated into Gemini, supporting multiple languages including Arabic and English. The rollout now brings Google’s most advanced video AI directly into the hands of everyday users.
Veo 2 builds on the foundations of its predecessor with a more sophisticated understanding of the physical world. It’s designed to produce high-fidelity video content with cinematic detail, realistic motion, and greater visual consistency across a wide range of subjects and styles. Whether recreating natural landscapes, human interactions, or stylized environments, the model is capable of interpreting and translating written prompts into eight-second 720p videos that feel almost handcrafted.
Users can generate content directly through the Gemini platform — either via the web or mobile apps. The experience is pretty straightforward: users enter a text-based prompt, and Veo 2 returns a video in 16:9 landscape format, delivered as an MP4 file. These aren’t just generic clips — they can reflect creative, abstract, or highly specific scenarios, making the tool especially useful for content creators, marketers, or anyone experimenting with visual storytelling.
Also Read: Getting Started With Google Gemini: A Beginner’s Guide
To ensure transparency, each video is embedded with SynthID — a digital watermark developed by Google’s DeepMind. The watermark is invisible to the human eye but persists across editing, compression, and sharing. It identifies the video as AI-generated, addressing concerns around misinformation and media authenticity.
While Veo 2 is still in its early phases of public rollout, the technology is part of a broader push by Google to democratize advanced AI tools. With text-to-image, code generation, and now video creation integrated into Gemini, Google is positioning the platform as a full-spectrum creative assistant.
Access to Veo 2 starts today and will continue expanding in the coming weeks. Interested users can try it out at gemini.google.com or through the Gemini app on Android and iOS.
Google Releases Veo 2 AI Video Tool To MENA Users
PayPal & TerraPay Join Forces For Cross-Border MENA Payments
Influencer Growth Fuels Saudi Creator Economy Surge
Dubai Integrates LiDAR & Digital Twins For Road Management
