Hinge · Hinge Terms of Service · View original document ↗

Account Eligibility and Criminal History Restriction

Medium severity High confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Unique · 0 of 325 platforms
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Document Record

What it is

Hinge requires users to confirm they have not committed, been convicted of, or pled no contest to any violent or sexual misconduct offense as a condition of using the service.

This analysis describes what Hinge's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

This is a self-reported eligibility requirement with no stated independent verification mechanism, meaning its practical effect depends on user honesty and Hinge's separate background check or safety programs.

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

All users implicitly represent at account creation that they have no disqualifying criminal history involving violence or sexual misconduct; providing false information to meet this requirement violates the terms and may expose users to account termination.

How other platforms handle this

Venmo Medium

To be eligible to use the Venmo services, you must be a resident of the United States and at least 18 years of age. By accepting these terms, you represent and warrant that you meet the eligibility requirements. If you do not meet these requirements, you may not use the Venmo services.

Meta Medium

Our Products are not directed to children. You must be at least 13 years old to use our Products. If you are under 18, you must have your parent or legal guardian's permission to use our Products and they must read and agree to these Terms on your behalf.

Runway Medium

You may not use Runway's tools to create content that promotes, glorifies, or facilitates acts of terrorism, mass violence, or genocide, or that could be used to provide material support to individuals or organizations engaged in such activities.

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
You are not authorized to create an account or use the Services unless all of the following are true, and by using our Services, you represent and warrant that: You have not committed, been convicted of, or pled no contest to any crime involving violence or a threat of violence, or sexual misconduct.

— Excerpt from Hinge's Hinge Terms of Service

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision reflects awareness of consumer safety obligations in the dating platform context and aligns with the STOP CSAM Act and broader legislative pressure on dating apps to implement safety measures. The FTC has examined dating platform safety representations under its deceptive practices authority. State attorneys general, particularly in states with dating safety legislation, may evaluate whether self-reported eligibility criteria without verification constitute adequate safety representations to users. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The self-attestation model creates a compliance gap if users provide false representations and subsequently harm other users. Hinge's safety representations to consumers about who uses the platform may face scrutiny if the verification mechanism is limited to self-reporting. The provision does not reference any background check program, though Hinge may operate one separately from these terms. JURISDICTION FLAGS: Several US states have enacted or considered legislation requiring dating platforms to conduct criminal background checks or disclose whether they do. Virginia and New Jersey have passed laws requiring background check disclosure. Compliance teams should map this provision against state-specific dating platform safety statutes. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: If Hinge partners with a third-party background check provider, vendor contracts should confirm FCRA compliance for any consumer report data processed. The self-attestation model in this provision is distinct from and should not be conflated with any operational background check program. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Legal teams should assess whether Hinge's safety disclosures to users accurately characterize the verification mechanisms underlying this eligibility requirement. State-level dating platform safety statutes should be inventoried and mapped to current eligibility and verification practices.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has examined dating platform safety representations and whether self-reported eligibility criteria without verification constitute adequate consumer protection disclosures
    File a complaint →
  • State AG
    Several state attorneys general have enforcement authority over dating platform safety statutes that may require background check disclosure or implementation beyond self-attestation
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

CFAA
United States Federal
DMCA
United States Federal
DSA
European Union

Provision details

Document information
Document
Hinge Terms of Service
Entity
Hinge
Document last updated
May 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
May 7, 2026
Last verified
May 10, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-008093
Document ID
CA-D-00229
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
6d021b040b46b69583b27d19c34270b229ce55117f8cce7f0427fd3d41e01e43
Analysis generated
May 7, 2026 16:37 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Hinge
Document: Hinge Terms of Service
Record ID: CA-P-008093
Captured: 2026-05-07 16:37:02 UTC
SHA-256: 6d021b040b46b695…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/hinge/hinge-terms-of-service/account-eligibility-and-criminal-history-restriction/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Hinge's Account Eligibility and Criminal History Restriction clause do?

This is a self-reported eligibility requirement with no stated independent verification mechanism, meaning its practical effect depends on user honesty and Hinge's separate background check or safety programs.

How does this clause affect you?

All users implicitly represent at account creation that they have no disqualifying criminal history involving violence or sexual misconduct; providing false information to meet this requirement violates the terms and may expose users to account termination.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Hinge?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Hinge.