(Online Dating Industry Journal) The recently passed New Jersey legislation, requiring online dating services to do background screenings on members or report that they don't, is causing people to weigh in on the issue.
Online Dating Magazine spokesperson and columnist Dr. James Houran, recently wrote about the issue in one of his Office Hours with Dr. Jim columns. From his column:
"...I personally feel that background screenings, and other pro-security features, are good as optional value-adds to customers. Some people want them, whereas others do not. It makes sense for companies to offer value-adds and allow customers to select and pay for the services that are important to them. Likewise, some argue that the NJ legislation is unfair, since it targets online dating sites and does not address other forms of matchmaking, like classified ads and the like. That is a strong point, and I doubt legislators have a good answer to that one. After all, predators have used those forms of matchmaking for finding victims much longer than they have the Internet..."
To read the entire column, click here.
Joe's Comments
New Jersey's Internet Dating Safety Act is a prime example of what happens when legislatures don't do their homework before voting on a bill. We'll see if it will stand up to the legal challenges that online dating services bring against them.
For more information on my feelings about online dating background checks, read my column titled "Online Dating Background Checks Controversy" and "Online Dating Background Checks Controversy Continues".
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