EXAMINER – Apr 14 – Jane Doe was sexually assaulted by another Match.com member, Alan Paul Wurtzel. It turns out that Wurtzel had been convicted for sexual battery on six different occasions. The suit seeks a temporary restraining order requesting no more members be signed up for Match.com until there's a means to weed out sexual predators. According to her attorney, the woman wants Match.com to screen members' names against public sex offender registries.
by Dave Thomas
The full article was originally published at Examiner, but is no longer available.
Mark Brooks: How ridiculous! Background checks are far from foolproof. Social networks aren't forced to use them, and dating sites should not be forced either. I'm a fan of dating sites using background checks. But I'm not a fan of them being legislated into the industry. TRUE uses them; a basic Rapsheeets/Choicepoint check of felons and sex offendors. I'm not aware of any other sizable sites that use them. Matchmakers often use them as a differentiating feature against their idating brethren.
This should indeed be included in the screening process for any dating service. Someone could use a fake identity, but as long as the dating service made the best attempt possible to screen for any criminal behavior, then the dating service has done their part.
This should indeed be included in the screening process for any dating service. Someone could use a fake identity, but as long as the dating service made the best attempt possible to screen for any criminal behavior, then the dating service has done their part.
This is a discussion that we will see more of in the future as safety on the internet starts to be taken seriously by all platforms not just dating. As Mark rightly put it; at least our industry does something about protection of it’s members.
In reality the issues of privacy come into play, cost of implementing mandatory background checks and as Susan mentioned, authentication of profiles.
Pain and suffering either physical, financial or emotional is of great concern to all of us. And even Law Enforcement will tell you how difficult it is at the moment to catch predators. Education of how to communicate online effectively is currently our only real tool. Because in reality, dating sites were only ever designed as a facility to connect. It is after all a two dimensional medium.
I really feel for this woman’s plight and I am a huge proponent of safety online. However, where does all this lead too? Will it be bars and nightclubs needing background checks on their patrons as well?
Smiles to you Mark,
Yvonne
This is a discussion that we will see more of in the future as safety on the internet starts to be taken seriously by all platforms not just dating. As Mark rightly put it; at least our industry does something about protection of it’s members.
In reality the issues of privacy come into play, cost of implementing mandatory background checks and as Susan mentioned, authentication of profiles.
Pain and suffering either physical, financial or emotional is of great concern to all of us. And even Law Enforcement will tell you how difficult it is at the moment to catch predators. Education of how to communicate online effectively is currently our only real tool. Because in reality, dating sites were only ever designed as a facility to connect. It is after all a two dimensional medium.
I really feel for this woman’s plight and I am a huge proponent of safety online. However, where does all this lead too? Will it be bars and nightclubs needing background checks on their patrons as well?
Smiles to you Mark,
Yvonne
The individual customers can always do background checks on their dates.
Or maybe Match can add it on as a Premium service that members can purchase.
I don’t know how much it costs to conduct a background check, but it shouldn’t be too much.
The individual customers can always do background checks on their dates.
Or maybe Match can add it on as a Premium service that members can purchase.
I don’t know how much it costs to conduct a background check, but it shouldn’t be too much.