Contributed by: kellyseal on Monday, November 06 2023 @ 03:35 pm
Last modified on Monday, November 06 2023 @ 05:38 pm
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee has passed The Online Dating Safety Act[*1] . It is now eligible to be brought to a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives, though the timing of the vote remains unclear.
According to The Washington Examiner, the Act would require dating app services to provide a “fraud ban notification” to users who have been in contact with a user who had previously been removed from the platform for fraudulent activity. Additionally, the notification would have to include a statement that the banned member may have been using a false identity or attempting to defraud other users.
Bill H.R. 6125 also requires the notification to include a warning that the user being targeted by the fraudulent actor should not send money or personal information to another member, as well as a link to resources on fraud prevention and tips on how to avoid online fraud, according to The Ripon Advance. The bill stipulates that the dating platforms must provide a customer service number that is attached to the warning so that users have someone to speak with if they have questions or concerns.
The House panel marked up the bill in early November, with some parts changed. According to The Washington Examiner[*2] , the requirement for ID verification that was in the original bill was removed before it passed committee.
The Online Dating Safety Act had been introduced before but was reintroduced in September by Rep. David Valadao (R-CA).
The Act was inspired by the so-called “Tinder Swindler” Simon Leviev, who defrauded women he matched with on the platform, extorting them for hundreds of thousands of dollars. He was able to operate because he could rejoin and reach out to new women under different names, even after he was reported and kicked off of the platform.
The House committees are concentrating on technology-focused bills right now, and the Online Dating Safety Act was one of several being considered. The Energy and Commerce Committee also looked at the Consumer Safety Technology Act, which deals with AI and consumer protections, and the REPAIR Act, which would require auto manufacturers to provide access to repair tools and resources without consumers having to go to company-controlled auto service shops.
The bill’s co-sponsor U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-CO) said to The Ripon Advance: “Notifying users if they have been in contact with a potential scammer is a basic security feature that every online dating service should provide. This bill is a great step towards reducing online crime and keeping Americans safe.”