# Reality Defender > Source: https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/companies/reality-defender | Publisher: Dating Industry Insights (High Intent Media Inc) | Last checked: 2026-10-21 **In short:** Reality Defender is a privately held deepfake detection company based in New York City. It sells a platform and API that identify AI-generated voice, video, images and text for enterprises and governments. It matters to dating because fake profiles and romance scams increasingly use synthetic media, and Match Group's Yoel Roth joined its Ethics Committee in May 2026. ## Key facts - Type: Deepfake detection and trust and safety technology - Headquarters: New York, United States - Founded: 2021 - Status: Active, privately held - Website: realitydefender.com - LinkedIn: LinkedIn profile - Headquarters: New York City, United States (2026) [source](https://www.realitydefender.com/company) - Founded: 2021 (company website and press releases) (2026-07-01) [source](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reality-defender-is-named-a-market-shaper-in-the-gartner-emerging-market-quadrant-for-deepfake-detection--startup-vendors-302816037.html) - Founder and CEO: Ben Colman, co-founder and CEO (2026-07-01) [source](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reality-defender-is-named-a-market-shaper-in-the-gartner-emerging-market-quadrant-for-deepfake-detection--startup-vendors-302816037.html) - Accelerator: Y Combinator, Winter 2022 batch (2026) [source](https://www.ycombinator.com/companies/reality-defender) - Product: Detection-only, multimodal platform that identifies AI-generated voice, video and images in real time, offered through an API and platform integrations (2026-07-01) [source](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reality-defender-is-named-a-market-shaper-in-the-gartner-emerging-market-quadrant-for-deepfake-detection--startup-vendors-302816037.html) - Ethics Committee: Formed 5 May 2026 with founding members Keith Enright, Luciano Floridi and Yoel Roth (senior vice president of trust and safety at Match Group) (2026-05-05) [source](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/keith-enright-luciano-floridi-and-yoel-roth-join-reality-defender-ethics-committee-302762043.html) - Recognition: Named a Market Shaper in Gartner's Emerging Market Quadrant for Deepfake Detection, Startup Vendors; won RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox in 2024 (2026-07-01) [source](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reality-defender-is-named-a-market-shaper-in-the-gartner-emerging-market-quadrant-for-deepfake-detection--startup-vendors-302816037.html) - Real-time video detection launch: Announced real-time video deepfake detection for web conferencing platforms, in private beta (2024-10-15) [source](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reality-defender-announces-real-time-video-deepfake-detection-for-web-conferencing-platforms-302276467.html) - Legal name: Reality Defender Inc. (2026) [source](https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/reality-defender) ## About Reality Defender is a deepfake detection company based in New York City. Its website says it was founded in 2021, and it went through the Y Combinator Winter 2022 batch. Ben Colman is co-founder and chief executive. The company says its detection platform began inside a nonprofit research initiative. Its published leadership page lists Alex Lisle as chief technology officer and Brian Levin as chief revenue officer. The company offers a detection-only, multimodal platform that identifies AI-generated voice, video and images in real time, with text also covered in earlier descriptions. Customers use it through a web app, an API and integrations with other platforms. Its stated clients include banks, contact centres and large enterprises, plus government bodies. In October 2024 it announced real-time video deepfake detection for web conferencing. In 2024 it won the RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox, and in July 2026 Gartner named it a Market Shaper in its deepfake detection quadrant for startup vendors. For the dating industry, the link is trust and safety. On 5 May 2026 the company announced an Ethics Committee with three founding members: Keith Enright, Luciano Floridi and Yoel Roth. Roth is senior vice president of trust and safety at Match Group and a former head of trust and safety at Twitter. The committee advises on policy, governance, deployment and accountability for the company's detection technology. Funding figures differ between data providers, so none are given here. ## Stories about Reality Defender - [Match Group's Deepfake Dilemma: Ethics or Competitive Edge?](https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/news/match-group-vp-yoel-roth-joins) (2026-05-12) ## Questions **What does Reality Defender do?** It provides a deepfake detection platform and API that identify AI-generated voice, video and images in real time for enterprises and governments. **Where is Reality Defender based?** It is based in New York City, United States. **Who leads Reality Defender?** Ben Colman is co-founder and chief executive. **How is Reality Defender linked to Match Group?** Yoel Roth, Match Group's senior vice president of trust and safety, is a founding member of Reality Defender's Ethics Committee, announced on 5 May 2026. **When was Reality Defender founded?** Reality Defender was founded in 2021. --- Canonical: https://www.datingindustryinsights.com/companies/reality-defender