(Online Dating Industry Journal - Commentary and Opinion) Earlier this year, New Jersey passed legislation requiring online dating services to do background checks or prominently post that they don't. The bill faced virtually no opposition from dating services. Now Florida is (again) looking to pass an online dating background check law (this is their fourth attempt) and once again, there seems to be little opposition. And that's just what True.com wants, in my opinion.
Herb Vest is the CEO of True.com and he outlined his business strategies and philosophies in a book that he published in 2004 titled "Instructions to my Officers". In the book he says things like:
"Employ lobbyists to protect your regulatory flank. Although distasteful to some people, companies often use laws and regulations to control competition." (page 63)
"What you need is success --- any success. That is why, in the beginning, you will only fight battles you can win. Many political revolutions begin with terrorism. If successful in getting media attention and converts, the terrorists' movement evolves into a more organized insurgency or uprising..." (pages 84, 85)
"State legislatures are particularly vulnerable to influence from special interest groups because they are less in the media spotlight than the national Congress..." (page 119)
True.com's motives in pushing background check laws appear to be focused on making themselves look like the "good guys" because they do background checks and other services look like the "bad guys" because they don't do background checks. Yet, behind the scenes they tie up suppliers (another thing he says to do in his book) with exclusive contracts with background check companies like RapSheets.
The problem is that online dating services don't know how to fight this type of battle. And the reason they don't know is that they don't take the time to read Herb Vest's book to understand his mentality in fighting these battles. He has given a blueprint of how he thinks to all of his competitors, yet few have tried to understand the battle plan and thus fall victim to the legislative efforts.
There are several problems here:
1) Online dating services aren't united in striking down the push for background checks at a state-by-state level.
2) Online dating services seem to be putting off the battle until after laws are passed. An article in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel talked to Emily Hacket of the Internet Alliance, and stated, "The alliance, which represents Internet providers such as AOL as well
as dating sites such as Match.com and eHarmony.com, does not plan to
oppose Florida's bill. But Hackett said the organization, which does
not mandate background checks, is considering a constitutional
challenge to New Jersey's law, on the grounds it violates First
Amendment free speech rights..."
3) Online dating services keep waiting for someone else to do something, so no one does anything.
4) By not fighting the battle up front, online dating services are handing True.com the "success" and "publicity" that they are after in order to build a stronger foundation.
By not being pro-active, major online dating services are getting into a messy situation that will cost them a lot more in time and resources in the future. That is, unless, they all just start doing background checks and join True.com in its campaign. Then there would be no more battle for True.com to fight on this front.
My Take
I'm not against background checks. I applaud True.com and Herb Vest for doing them. I even think they are a good idea - when done right. I am against companies trying to use state legislation for their own publicity, power, and attempt at controlling competition. If True.com was genuine in their effort, I would think that they would drop any exclusive contracts they have with background check vendors then try to get one consistent Federal law, instead of many different state laws.
Because online dating services aren't taking the time to educate themselves, they are now losing this battle and that could catapult True.com forward at a time that they are facing many problems of their own.
My philosophy is to always be honorable and do the right thing. More people will respect you and not question your motives. True.com shows multiple faces. On one end they do online background checks and that's a major plus in their favor. In fact, at this point it is still a Unique Selling Proposition. But when a book is published, written by True.com's CEO, that makes radical statements about eliminating competition, using the media, and using legislatures, then it cancels out the good that they are doing. And in the end, Karma will always win. Do the right thing for the right reasons and you'll never have to worry about failure, even if you don't succeed.
That's my take at least.
Best Wishes,
Joe Tracy
Related Links
The True Motives Behind Background Check Legislation
Review of "Instructions to My Officers" (offsite)
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