Child Safety Is Not Optional
July 25, 2026FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Canadian nonprofit challenges inconsistent dating-app verification policies after researchers find ID verified badges on 12.5% of profiles in unfiltered Bumble browsing.
CANADA — October 15, 2026 — If requiring government identification helps keep online dating communities safe, why is that safeguard mandatory in some countries but optional in others?
That’s the question being raised by DEFEND, a Canadian nonprofit whose wholly owned technology company, 65square, developed Dating Square, an all verified 3D blind dating system for adults-only. The system has mandatory NFC passport verification for all users.
Bumble’s own published support documentation confirms that ID verification is required when creating an account in Japan.
“This is to help keep you and others in the community safe” a popup notification explains when prompting for ID verification inside Bumble, when a user is geo-located in Japan. Outside Japan, ID verification is optional. DEFEND believes this disparity deserves international scrutiny.
Research finds relatively few ID-verified profiles
Researchers working with DEFEND examined 2,253 profiles displayed during unfiltered Bumble browsing across three groups.
Of those observations, 281 profiles displayed an ID-verification badge.
Only 12.5% of the observed profiles were identified as government-ID verified.
The findings varied modestly among the groups:
Profiles of women: 124 of 988 (12.6%).
Profiles of bisexual women: 100 of 846 (11.8%).
Profiles of men: 57 of 419 (13.6%).
The remaining profiles displayed either photo-verification badges or no verification badge recorded by the researchers.
Importantly, the research used browsing without a verification filter to establish a baseline of what users encountered.
Nevertheless, the findings raise a significant question about the practical consequences of leaving government-ID verification optional.
Verification isn’t just about identifying someone
DEFEND argues that the most important potential benefit of mandatory identity verification is not simply proving who someone is.
It’s changing how people behave when they know their actions can carry consequences.
An individual who believes they can easily abandon an account and create another may face fewer perceived consequences for harassment, threats, deception or other misconduct.
But when an account is connected to an established identity, serious disciplinary action can potentially follow the individual rather than merely the username.
A person permanently removed for serious violations should not be able to regain access simply by changing their email address, telephone number or device.
DEFEND believes such accountability could encourage more responsible behaviour from the beginning.
“That potential behavioural effect remains a hypothesis requiring further research”, Kristy Fredrick, Head of Research at DEFEND says, “…but it raises questions worth examining across the online dating industry.”
Japan demonstrates a different standard
DEFEND is questioning why mandatory verification is not adopted more widely, especially when the dating industry already recognizes its safety benefits.
“The consequences of weak identity safeguards extend far beyond fake dating profiles. There were 140,011 reports of suspected child sexual abuse on adult dating apps in 2025. Meanwhile, the FBI says there was almost a billion dollars lost from confidence and romance scams in 2025” Frederick says.
These figures highlight two serious problems confronting online platforms: the exploitation of vulnerable people and the financial devastation caused by fraud. DEFEND argues that mandatory identity verification could help address both by creating stronger accountability, discouraging misconduct and making it harder for banned offenders to return under new accounts. The organization questions why safeguards justified as necessary in one country should remain optional elsewhere.
A different approach at Dating Square
DEFEND and 65square developed Dating Square around mandatory NFC passport verification.
The company believes that ID verification and effective moderation can help discourage misconduct and make repeat violations almost extinct.
“We have a little more than 600 accounts created in the last year and there have been zero reports of CSA or fraud on Dating Square” Frederick says.
Dating Square also combines blind matching, 3D social activities and subscription-funded access intended to encourage more meaningful interactions.
Almost 20% of dating apps don’t allow a child to put their actual age
Mandatory verification introduces serious questions about privacy, data security, accessibility and the consequences of incorrect enforcement decisions.
“Dating Square does not take a picture of someone’s passport. It extracts only someone’s name and limited information directly from the NFC chip in the passport. The user does not input their age unlike other platforms. Our researchers have even discovered that nearly 20% of adult dating apps don’t allow input of an age under 18, meaning that kids can be forced to join and appear as adults.”
DEFEND believes platforms adopting mandatory verification must be held accountable for protecting that information and offering fair procedures to challenge incorrect restrictions.
Greater accountability for users must be matched by greater accountability for the platforms themselves.
The organization believes online safety should not depend solely on whether local governments compel technology companies to adopt stronger requirements.
About DEFEND and 65square
DEFEND is a Canadian nonprofit working to reduce online risks for children and vulnerable people through education, advocacy and technology development.
Media inquiries and research information
DEFEND / 65square
info@helpusdefend.com
https://helpusdefend.com
