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Match.com Plans To Weed Out Known Sex Offenders

SS Member Image By   drodriguez
04.26.11
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Match.com Plans To Weed Out Known Sex Offenders

Match.com has announced it has put a system in place that will check to make sure none of its members are on the National Sex Offender Registry.  CNN reports that the site has made this decision after a lawsuit was filed by a woman, known as “Jane Doe”, who claims to have been raped while on a date with a man she met through the popular dating site.  

It turns out the man “Jane Doe” was dating was listed on the National Sex Offender Registry for 6 separate sexual battery convictions in California.

Papers filed in the lawsuit state that Match.com failed “to undertake a basic screening process that disqualifies from membership anyone who has a documented history of sexual assault.  Match and sexual predators benefit, while female members...are endangered.”  

Rival online dating site eHarmony has been cross-referencing members with the National Sex Offender Registry for a while now, but they still urge members to err on the side of caution when meeting anyone in person.  

The eHarmony site says, “Registries can be incomplete or inaccurate, assaults and other crime often go unreported, and perpetrators of crimes are not always convicted.  Relying solely on screening can provide a false sense of security.”

Do you think Match.com should be held responsible for allowing known sex offenders to become members of their online dating site?


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  • aesummers By aesummers
    04.22.11  

    I don't think Match should be responcible for an attack because people can always misrepresent themselves and that is really out of anyones hands. I do however believe that match should be shut down if it refuses cross referencing members names with sex offender registries or violent criminal registries - especaily considering that eharmony has taken this step.

  • zacsmom By zacsmom
    04.22.11  

    I think anyone should be cautious if they are using and online dating site at all! If you decide to meet someone, make sure you meet in a public place and your friends or family know where you are going and who you are meeting. If the site uses a screening process, know what it is screened and what is not. Just remember, know matter how many times you chat with someone online, they are still a stranger you are meeting in person. Be cautious. I don't think the dating sites should be held responsible for this, people need to use lots of common sense and caution with anyone they meet online.

  • kimvoloshin By kimvoloshin
    04.22.11  

    I agree you cannot hold match.com responsible. Would you hold a friend responsible if they introduced you to the wrong person? Caution online and in real life is your own responsibility.

  • MadHatter By MadHatter
    04.25.11  

    people are not always what they seem. though the woman did place her trust on the site to find the "man of her dreams", they did add a warning to be careful and cautious at all times. however, failing to disqualify someone who is publicly listed as a sex offender is something that can't be overlooked. how do they conduct their background checks if they can't even catch something that is PUBLIC? this is not good for Match.com

  • BMDsMommy By BMDsMommy
    04.25.11  

    I can see both sides of the argument. It should be common practice that sites like that make it mandatory to check if there is a way to do so. On the other hand, everyone using a site like that needs to err on the side of caution.

  • nightweirdo By nightweirdo
    04.28.11  

    People should at the very least google those with whom they choose to go on a date with ,even If nothing comes up on that person you should use extreme caution .I am glad they are taking the profiles of the sex offenders off of the website .

  • Jennafer By Jennafer
    04.28.11  

    I don't think it is the resposibilty of Match.com. I know its not the womans fault she was hurt but everyone now a days knows to be very careful when using any kind of blind dating system. Anyone can be whoever they want to be on the net so caution is mandatory.

  • leceesgramma By leceesgramma
    05.05.11  

    I think it would be to the best interest of Match.com to take any measures possible to screen members as much as possible. the one thing I have learned while on the internet and chatting while playing a game or whatever, is that you really don't know whos behind that computor on the other end. So I say its also the responsibilty of the member to advance with extreme caution. Do your homework, there are many sites out there that can get you the info.

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