Online Dating Firms Split Over Screening

ASSOCIATED PRESS -- Feb 17 -- New Jersey became the first state to enact a law requiring the sites to disclose whether they perform background checks. True.com already does such screenings.
"The online dating industry tends to get a real bad rap because of criminal activity," said True.com's founder and chief executive, Herb Vest. "If we were to clean up, there's hordes of offline singles who'd come online to find their soul mate." Many critics contend that True.com's screening method is incomplete and too easily thwarted, potentially creating a false sense of security for customers. Match.com said it had been assessing online background checks for six years and concluded they offered no extra protection. FULL ARTICLE @ SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE