(Online Dating Industry Journal) An online dating service calling itself DatingServices-Online is using press release scare tactics to try and attract users. In a recent press release, the company (the URL of which we are not publishing) made it sound like predators are targeting children on online dating services. They relate the story of a 25-year-old BYU student who attempted to contact a 14-year-old girl, allegedly for sex, only to find out later that it was an undercover agent.
The problem with the misleading press releases is that the majority of online dating services don't allow a person to sign up who is under the age of 18. However, many social networking sites, like MySpace.com, have been the target of many stings. It's important that companies putting out press releases about online predators clearly differentiate between an "online dating service" and a "social networking site". In this case, the press release made it seem that online dating services are the medium from which the predators work.
Joe's Comments:
I was very disappointed in this company for the release they put out. I've read about hundreds of stings that have caught predators targeting children and none of them have been an online dating service. It's highly disappointing that someone is putting forth misleading information making it sound like these predators originate on online dating services, when that's not the case. It's possible that the company simply confused "online dating services" with "social networking sites".
Dateline NBC has been targeting predators through stings and has aired a four-part special called "To Catch a Predator" and not once have they stated that stings took place on an online dating service. However, they have said that MySpace.com and chatrooms have been targets where predators hang out that they've caught in their sting. It's disappointing to see a company trying to paint the picture that online dating services are where these predators looking for children lurk. Online dating services go through great strides to make sure children don't use their service, which is why you find them using social networking sites to interact with others.
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