False Sense Of Security In Users Of Dating Sites

SF CHRONICLE - June 28 - Despite the fact that many online dating sites don't perform background checks, users feel a certain comfort level that they won't run into sexual offenders or other criminals because they have paid for the service. Online dating is big business, projected to generate $834M in revenue this year, according to IbisWorld, an independent research firm. IbisWorld predicted the industry eventually could be "subjected to stricter domestic regulation due to concerns about Internet privacy and misinformation placed on sites by some members." Already, some states have moved in that direction. New Jersey passed the Internet Dating Safety Act in 2008. The state requires dating sites that don't perform criminal background checks to prominently disclose that on their Web site. A similar bill in Texas in 2005 never made it out of a House committee. FULL ARTICLE @ SF CHRONICLE