Match Safety Settings & Online Dating Tips

Match remains one of the most trusted dating platforms globally. In 2025, the platform has significantly upgraded its tools to help adults date safely and confidently online. With features supporting age verification laws, identity protection, and respectful engagement, Match.com caters to a diverse international user base, including Ireland, the UK, and the United States.

This guide outlines every available safety setting, why it’s important, and how to activate each one.

 

 

Match.com Key Safety Features

Profile Verification

• What it is: Confirms a user’s identity with real-time selfies and authentication tools.
• Why it matters: Reduces the risk of catfishing and builds trust among users.

 

Incognito Mode

• What it is: Lets you browse Match profiles without being seen.
• Why it matters: Protects your privacy, especially when exploring new matches or reviewing past profiles.

 

Block & Report Tools

• What it is: Allows users to immediately block or report abusive or suspicious behaviour.
• Why it matters: Helps you maintain control over your experience and ensures a safer community.

 

Secure Messaging

• What it is: End-to-end encrypted messaging within the platform.
• Why it matters: Keeps private conversations confidential and lets you report any inappropriate language or threats.

 

Safety Mode

• What it is: Automatically screens and restricts contact from flagged or inactive accounts.
• Why it matters: Filters out potentially unsafe users, reducing unwanted interactions.

 

Age Verification Compliance

• What it is: Match.com now follows age assurance laws in Ireland and the UK, verifying all users are 18+.
• Why it matters: Helps prevent minors from accessing adult platforms and supports national online safety laws.

 

 

How to Enable Safety Features on Match.com

• Log in to your Match.com account.
• Tap your Profile icon, then go to Account Settings.
• Choose Privacy & Safety.
• Activate settings like Profile Verification, Incognito Mode, and Safety Mode.
• To report or block a user, select the option on their profile or chat screen.

 

 

Online Dating Safety Tips for 2025

• Use video calls to verify identity before meeting in person.
• Always meet in public and let someone know where you’re going.
• Watch for red flags—if something feels off, it probably is.
• Avoid sharing sensitive data, including bank details and government ID.
• Stay within the app for communication until trust is established.

 

 

Why These Settings Matter

Each setting on Match.com plays a role in creating a respectful and secure dating experience:

• Profile Verification protects users from identity fraud.
• Incognito Mode offers discretion when browsing.
• Secure Messaging ensures your conversations remain private.
• Block & Report gives control back to users dealing with harassment.
• Safety Mode adds a layer of automatic protection.
• Age Verification ensures compliance and safety for adult-only spaces.

 

By enabling these features, you reduce the risk of exploitation, manipulation, and cybercrime. No matter where you are in the world, these tools help you stay safe while dating online.

 

 

Global Online Dating Safety & Age Assurance Laws

In Ireland and the UK, Match.com complies with legal age assurance requirements that verify users are adults. These regulations aim to protect young users from inappropriate content and interactions.

In the United States, Match works alongside federal and state agencies to uphold privacy and cybersecurity standards. They implement identity checks and maintain strict community guidelines to protect users from fraud and abuse.

Internationally, Match.com provides dedicated Safety Centres, User Guidelines, and Crisis Support Tools for all users, regardless of location.

 

 

Partner With Us For A Safer Digital World

At Children of the Digital Age, we believe digital safety is a human right, for everyone, at every age. Our work spans almost a decade, across generations, helping individuals, families, and professionals navigate the evolving challenges of the online world with clarity, support, and up-to-date expert guidance.

 

We provide independent, research-backed advice on digital privacy, online safety, responsible tech use, and the laws shaping the internet in Ireland, the UK, and globally. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, adult platform user, or simply someone who cares about digital well-being, this is your hub for trusted information.

 

We encourage you to:

• Follow our work, stay informed, and be part of a digitally safer future.
• Share our resources to help others benefit from expert safety advice.
• Support our mission to keep digital environments safe, inclusive, and age-appropriate.

Visit childrenofthedigitalage.org to explore our full range of safety guides and digital well-being tools.

Together, let’s make the online world safer, one informed choice at a time.

 

 

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© 2025 Children of the Digital Age. All rights reserved. | Last Updated: August 2025