The actor broke his silence on his divorce from the pop star via his Instagram Story on Aug. 17, notably one day after he officially filed to end their marriage.
The actor broke his silence on his divorce from the pop star via his Instagram Story on Aug. 17, notably one day after he officially filed to end their marriage.
The background-checking tool used by Match Group to offer a safety feature for Tinder users is shutting down. The non-profit and female-founded Garbo, which the dating app conglomerate has partnered with since 2019, will shut down its consumer tool at the end of August. “Most tech companies just see trust and safety as good PR,” Kathryn Kosmides, Garbo’s founder and CEO, told The Wall Street Journal, which published a report on the severed partnership. “I’d rather Garbo shift focus to our other efforts than allow the vision of Garbo to be compromised and relegated to a piece of big corporations’ marketing goals.”
A Match Group spokesperson supplied a statement to Engadget. “Match Group has made significant investments to enhance safety across our platforms over the last few years and we will continue to do so. From features like ‘Are you Sure?’ and ‘Does this bother you?’ to background checks, we have created tools and made investments that no other dating apps offer. We are committed to continuously investing and building industry-leading features that give users more information and control over who they choose to connect with on our platforms.”
The company suggests it’s in the process of finding a replacement partner to check for histories of violence. “While we are disappointed that we were unable to come to an agreement, we are in advanced conversations with alternate providers and will announce a new partnership soon,” the spokesperson wrote.
Dating apps owned and run by Match Group include Hinge, Tinder, Match, OkCupid and Plenty of Fish (among others).
Kosmides told the WSJ that Garbo’s decision to suspend the tool spawned from disagreements with Match Group and difficulties getting platforms to pay for its services. She described internal disputes within Match Group brands about how to make the tool work.
Tinder leaders reportedly pushed for a system that would encourage users to run background checks on themselves to receive a badge on their profile, described as “a way to engage those who are less likely to run [background checks] themselves (predominantly men) and highlight the majority of people that are good,” an internal document viewed by the WSJ read. Garbo rejected the idea, and Kosmides told the paper, “You can’t white-list someone or give them a ‘good guy, bad guy’ identity verification.”
Public and regulatory interest in dating app safety rose in 2019 when ProPublica published a widely circulated story about sex offenders using dating apps. A Match Group spokesperson was quoted in the story as telling Columbia Journalism Investigations, “There are definitely registered sex offenders on our free products.” The uproar led to increased scrutiny from Capitol Hill. U.S. Reps. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Ann Kuster (D-NH) sent a letter in 2020 to Match Group inquiring about protecting users from registered sex offenders. The pair sent a follow-up letter this July, noting that the dating company no longer discloses the size of its trust and safety team.
The intensified public and political interest heightened pressure on Match Group to do something, and its leadership reportedly saw Garbo — a new and untested product still under development at the time — as a novel solution. The dating conglomerate announced its $1.5 million partnership with the group in 2021 and launched a consumer tool the following year — with the company paying to offer two free background searches for Tinder users. Some criticized the move for providing a false sense of security, although Match Group cautioned not to view it as an all-in-one fix.
This summer, with Match Group and Garbo failing to agree on funding terms, the latter’s board met and voted to terminate the tool. Garbo, which also partnered with smaller firms, says it will shift back to being volunteer-run beginning on September 1st. The organization says it will “refocus our efforts on further ways to directly empower individuals with new and innovative tools to protect themselves from gender-based violence and other interpersonal harms in the digital age.”
Undeterred from its core mission, it adds, “We also plan to continue fiercely advocating for reforms in the criminal justice and public record systems to protect victims and hold bad actors accountable.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tinder-is-losing-the-tool-it-uses-for-background-checks-210539913.html?src=rss
Two months after welcoming her fourth child, the model shared a revealing selfie via Instagram on Aug. 17 from her latest breast exam.
Two months after welcoming her fourth child, the model shared a revealing selfie via Instagram on Aug. 17 from her latest breast exam.
Octavia Spencer proved again that she only has Britney Spears’ best interests at heart — after advising her to get a prenup in 2021!
Octavia Spencer proved again that she only has Britney Spears’ best interests at heart — after advising her to get a prenup in 2021!
Summer is drawing to a close, which means the busy fall season of tech events is almost upon us. Microsoft has marked its territory by sending out save-the-date invites to a “special event” in New York City on September 21st, but the company hasn’t provided any details on what to expect as yet.
This could very well be Microsoft’s major fall hardware event, during which the company typically reveals its latest Surface devices and other gear. If so, that would mean Microsoft is moving back to its old late September slot after switching to an October date last year. In any case, given the company’s focus over the past year or so, it’s likely to talk quite a bit about its various AI endeavors during this showcase. There’s always a chance we could learn about new Windows 11 features as well.
The tech industry’s fall calendar is taking shape. Apple usually shows off its latest slate of iPhones (which may or may not have USB-C charging ports this year) in early- to mid-September, but it hasn’t confirmed a date yet. Nor has Google, which will surely reveal its new Pixel devices at some point in the next month or two. Amazon is holding a hardware event on September 20th, one day before Microsoft’s. Meanwhile, we’ll learn more about the Meta Quest 3 at Meta Connect on September 27th.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-is-holding-a-special-event-on-september-21st-194223173.html?src=rss
Kellie Pickler was married to country songwriter Kyle Jacobs for more than a decade before his death in Feb. 2023. Learn about him amid her latest statement here.
Kellie Pickler was married to country songwriter Kyle Jacobs for more than a decade before his death in Feb. 2023. Learn about him amid her latest statement here.
During a vacation to Cabo San Lucas, it seemed like the couple were having trouble in paradise just weeks before their split.
During a vacation to Cabo San Lucas, it seemed like the couple were having trouble in paradise just weeks before their split.
X appears to be working on new ID verification features several months after rampant impersonation temporarily derailed the company’s paid verification plans. The platform is now working on an additional verification feature that requires users to upload a copy of their government-issued ID and snap a selfie, according to a screenshot shared by app researcher Nima Owji.
Owji, who often uncovers unreleased features in X, first spotted an “ID verified” badge on Musk’s profile earlier this month. Now, he’s discovered an in-app message detailing how it works, suggesting that it may be getting closer to an official launch. “Verify your account by providing government-issued ID,” it says. “This usually takes about 5 minutes.” It explains that users will need to provide a photo of their ID and a selfie.
#X keeps working on the ID verification. You should upload a photo of your ID and take a live selfie. https://t.co/3bdGgzlnZhpic.twitter.com/F4ssglakHR
— Nima Owji (@nima_owji) August 16, 2023
It seems X is partnering with a third-party “identity intelligence” company Au10tix on the feature. The fine print notes that information shared for verification will be seen by Au10tix as well as X. X will keep “ID images, including biometric data, for up to 30 days” and will use the information “for the purposes of safety and security, including preventing impersonation.”
An Au10tix representative didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. The company’s website advertises “8-second verification without even partial human involvement” and “first-of-a-kind tech detecting synthetic fraud patterns globally.” The company says it’s previously worked with companies like Google, PayPal and Uber.
X didn’t respond to a request for comment. But the feature suggests the company is looking for new ways to combat impersonation on the platform. Right now, X offers verified status to anyone paying for an X Premium (formerly known as Twitter Blue) subscription.
The company doesn’t conduct its own identity checks, though it has implemented some safeguards, like its verified organizations feature. Still, some impersonators have still managed to slip through. Verification has also been exploited by numerous scammers, particularly crypto scammers, who use the additional visibility that comes with an X premium subscription to elevate their posts. It’s unclear if adding optional identity checks would fully solve these issues, but it could make some scammers and impersonators a bit easier to identify.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-may-soon-add-id-verification-for-preventing-impersonation-190422905.html?src=rss
Lori Harvey looked incredible when she rocked cutout bikini bottoms with a tiny crop top while on vacation in Cabo.
Lori Harvey looked incredible when she rocked cutout bikini bottoms with a tiny crop top while on vacation in Cabo.
Craig Conover and Paige DeSorbo are the ultimate Bravo crossover relationship. Here’s the history of the reality TV duo’s romance, from when they met to engagement buzz.
Craig Conover and Paige DeSorbo are the ultimate Bravo crossover relationship. Here’s the history of the reality TV duo’s romance, from when they met to engagement buzz.
