ASSOCIATED PRESS -- Apr 6 -- Lawmakers delved into the world of online dating Wednesday, debating a bill that would require Web sites to notify paying visitors whether they perform criminal background checks on their members. "We do say love is blind. This is to put a disclosure there so we can lift the blinders," said sponsor Rep. Kevin Ambler, R-Tampa. True.com, which performs criminal and marital-status checks on all members, has been going state to state pitching similar measures to legislators. So far lawmakers in California, Ohio, Virginia, Michigan and Texas have proposed similar legislation though it has yet to become law. "They're trying to make their mark and they're trying to move legislation to sell a product," said Kristin Kelly. "It's implying that there's a problem that doesn't exist. … We've only had a handful of cases in our 10 years of operation." Leaders of both companies have been engaged in a public feud since last year. True.com, which was established in 2003, is a relative newcomer.
Mark Brooks: This legislation is to be taken very seriously. The battle has just begun. See 'Online Dating Sites Quarrel Over Background Checks' for the industry opinion.
That comes as no surprise to me to read deeper into the article and see that on-line dating hasn't produced any cases for the FL Computer Crimes division. With tracable IP addresses, communication, and other tracable forms of evidence, it is much safer than meeting some random stranger in a "hole-in-the-wall" bar.
This fact receives little press to the stigma that something may go wrong when meeting someone from the on-line community.
Posted by: Todd Murphy | Apr 07, 2005 at 05:11 PM
Lets add up all the hours spent debating this issue by our duly elected representatives and multiply that by whatever hourly rate their salaries break down to. I think we'll find that the figure is already approaching the million dollar mark if it hasn't surpassed it. Is it worth it? Not in my opinion and apparently not in the opinion of the law enforcement officials interviewed in this article.
Legislation isn't the answer to online dating safety. With the ever changing face of technology, lawmakes just can't keep up. Not to mention the dubious effectiveness of online background checks. I recommend representatives from each online dating site participate in a voluntary industry standards commitee. Let the industry govern itself and leave legislation out of it.
Lee Phillips
Application Developer/Consultant
Posted by: Lee Phillips | Apr 07, 2005 at 05:12 PM