State May Regulate Computer Dating

New Jersey is one step closer to requiring criminal background checks for online dating services, something lawmakers insist will make the Internet safer but others say will do little to actually protect people.

A bill cleared unanimously by the Assembly's Law and Public Safety Committee on Monday would require online dating sites to either screen users for past criminal offenses or prominently disclose that they do not.

Dating Background Checks: A Smart Idea or An Invasion of Privacy?

Investigation News - Dating Background Checks: A Smart Idea or An Invasion of Privacy? - PInow.com Investigator Directory: "The new world of online dating brings new risks to the world of romance. Dating background checks can give daters the tools they need to make informed decisions in matters of the heart.

Dating has always been risky. Trusting someone new carries risks, especially considering that dating requires some trust and often takes daters to out-of-the-way places such as cozy restaurants, darkened movie theatres, and so on. The new interest in Internet dating has only increased risks, according to some experts. Internet research firm Nielsen/NetRatings reported that in January 2005 alone, more than 26 million people visited dating sites.

Internet dating is very convenient and offers people anonymity and a feeling of comfort. Unfortunately, it is very easy to misrepresent one’s identity online. Users of online dating services can use false names and false identities, and can also misrepresent information to give potential dates a very skewed picture of themselves. Online dates can literally be anyone — anyone from a nice person to a criminal with a very violent past.

In 2005 the state of Michigan proposed a new bill that would require Internet dating companies to conduct background checks on users. These online dating services would stat..."

Smart idea or an invasion of privacy?