Japanese dating app launches system to check if users are married or not
Tapple, a widely used dating application in Japan, has launched a new function that allows its extensive user base to confirm that they are not married.
Users will be able to verify their unmarried status through a new system that involves registering their government-issued My Number card to their profile.
This marks the first instance of such a feature being implemented by a major dating app in the country.
Given that Tapple boasts over 20 million users, concerns regarding the accuracy of stated relationship statuses have been a common point raised by users.
A survey conducted by Tapple, involving nearly 5,500 participants, revealed that a significant portion – 53.8% of male respondents and 68.6% of female respondents – had previously expressed worries about the possibility of encountering individuals on the app who might be married.
The survey also indicated that almost all female respondents and over 80% of male respondents desired a means of verifying the single status of their potential matches.
Similarly, approximately 80% of all respondents expressed interest in having the option to verify their own single status to alleviate any doubts among other users concerning their availability for forming relationships.
This newly introduced service on Tapple aims to address potential issues arising from misrepresented relationship statuses by offering users the choice to display a digital certification on their profile. This certification will serve as confirmation of their single status to other Tapple members.
To obtain this verification, users are required to scan their My Number card using the government-operated Myna Portal. The Myna Portal system then cross-references the user’s declared relationship status on Tapple with their officially recorded marital information held by government authorities.
While the functionality to verify marital status has been available through the My Number card system since August of last year, and traditional marriage agencies often require individuals registering for their services to provide proof of their single status, Tapple’s integration of this option represents the first time such a verification mechanism has been made available within a prominent dating application in Japan.
Considering that the adoption rate of My Number cards is nearing 80% nationwide, the company behind the Tapple dating app anticipates that this new verification system will be readily embraced by a significant portion of its user base.
Tapple, consistent with the operational principles of many other dating applications, has maintained that its platform is intended for individuals who are genuinely single and seeking relationships.
The company expresses its hope that this innovative system will contribute to establishing Tapple as a more transparent and trustworthy environment for users to connect without the underlying concern of misrepresented marital status.
In recent years within Japan, online dating applications have become an increasingly integral component of how individuals form romantic relationships. A government survey indicated that a quarter of couples under the age of 40 who married within the preceding five years had initially met through a dating application.
Simultaneously, public attention has been drawn to various problematic issues associated with online matchmaking services, most notably including romance scams
These involve instances where fraudulent individuals employ emotional manipulation tactics to deceive their victims into sending them financial funds or making dubious investment decisions.
The new verification system will likely be adopted by other dating applications to offer parity of service and also to reassure their user bases that the profiles on their platforms do not belong to married individuals trying to seek extramarital affairs.
Source: Tapple
This post may contain affiliate links, and Essential Japan may earn a commission if you purchase through them.
