When I was an affiliate manager at FriendFinder in
2003 we had to police affiliates who used email, and then CAN-SPAM came
about. FriendFinder could not risk breaking CAN-SPAM rules. So the
FriendFinder edict was, if affiliates used email their affiliate
accounts would be cancelled. Affiliates were not permitted to use email
to promote FriendFinder. It was relatively easy to monitor. If an
affiliate had bursts and lulls of traffic that was an indication that
they were using email promotion.
Dating sites can use similar edicts to get the
attention of affiliates. Your brand related ad messaging should be
consistent and pre-approved on all site promotions. If an affiliate
mentions your internet dating brand name in an ad, that ad should have
been approved by you. Protect your brand! Protect this industry from
misleading, rogue affiliates.