Safety

Real names. Real people. Real plans.

Safety is built into Linger, not bolted on. Here's how we keep the community safe — and what you can do if something goes wrong.

Last updated: May 2026

How we vet members

ID verification

Optional 30-second selfie + government ID check. Verified members get a ✓ badge on their profile and higher discovery placement. AI handles the photo authenticity check; humans review anything ambiguous.

Real-name policy

We require your real first name on your profile. Display names, initials, and pseudonyms aren't allowed for primary identification.

How we protect your data

City-level location only

Distance between members is shown in walk-time buckets (5 min, 15 min, etc.) — never as a GPS pin. Your exact location is never shared with other users. See our Privacy Policy for full details.

No data sales

We don't sell user data to advertisers, brokers, or marketing platforms. Period.

How we respond when something goes wrong

1-hour SLA on urgent reports

Our 24/7 trust & safety team reviews urgent reports within an hour. AI-assisted triage flags scam, catfish, and dating-app misuse patterns the moment they appear, so a human reviewer sees the worst reports first. Reports are confidential and never shown to the reported user.

One-tap block & report

Tap ⋯ on any profile or message to block or report. Blocked users can't see your profile, message you, or appear in your discovery.

Share live location during a hangout

Going to meet someone for the first time? Tap "Share live location" on the hangout card to send a friend a real-time link until the hangout ends.

If you need help right now

24/7 hotline

Tap the safety shield 🛡 in the app and select "Talk to someone now." You'll reach a trained counselor any time, day or night. The hotline is free for all members.

Emergencies

If you're in immediate danger, always call 911 first. Then report what happened in the app so we can take action on the account involved.

Tips before your first hangout

See our Community Guidelines for the full list of what's allowed and what isn't on Linger.