Gordon Smith

Background checks for criminals and marrieds

America wants criminals and marrieds barred from online dating sites - should we legislate for the same here in the UK?

I can't find any information on anybody who is actively campaigning for this in the UK at the moment. No questions have been raised in Parliament, no bodies are pushing for legislation. Why is there such a difference between the Brits and the Yanks on this issue?

We know that the most vociferous campaigners in the States are companies who have vested interests such as True.com. Their business model embraces background checks and they prosecute people who are found to have been lying about their marital status etc. The most vociferous anti-background checkers are those companies whose business model currently excludes background checks.

Perhaps the difference of opinion goes to the heart of cultural differences between America and Britain? I talk to people using online dating themselves and on the whole they are strongly against background checks. They are worried about their privacy. They are worried about "Big Brother" and the "Nanny State". And they are saying that personal safety and avoidance of criminals or liars is the responsibility of the individual, not the responsibility of governments or online dating businesses.

But above all they are worried about cost. They realise that background checks and so on cost money, and that cost will be passed on to the online dating customer. They value their low-cost dating services and are willing to take on a little personal responsbility in order to avoid stumping extra costs for their dating!