CHICAGO TRIBUNE — July 30 — Lawmakers and Web sites clashing over legislative proposals to keep clients from being scammed. "You guys can either be part of the solution or feel like you're victims of someone taking over your business," Florida state Rep. Kevin Ambler told industry insiders at a conference in SanFrancisco this month. "But this is going to come … like a freight train roaring down the track." New York already has passed a consumer statute to regulate dating sites. A half-dozen other states–including Illinois–are considering similar laws to require matchmaking services to conduct criminal background checks, or at least post a notice alerting clients that they are on their own. Eric Straus of Cupid.com stated: "Government is sticking its nose where it doesn't belong." Still, during the last year, Yahoo Personals and Match.com were sued for allegedly posting phony profiles and using "date bait"–sending employees to act as members–to keep subscribers from bolting. While no background checks can be foolproof, they can go a long way to deterring scammers, supporters say. Some say the dangers are exaggerated and that the response is an overreaction. Others say that a basic check–about $1.50 each–would be inadequate, plagued by out-of-date information and riddled with inaccuracies. A first-rate search, on the other hand, would be more expensive.
Mark Brooks: Truedater.com allows singles to enter the member id's of online daters after a date, give feedback on them, and verify that they represent themselves accurately in their profile.
