Texas-based internet dating giant Match Group, Inc. will pay $650,000 and implement sweeping changes to its business practices to resolve allegations that it violated New Jersey’s consumer protection and internet dating safety laws by misleading users about its criminal background screening policies, state officials announced Wednesday.
The settlement, filed as a Consent Order with the Division of Consumer Affairs, resolves an investigation into Match Group and its affiliates—which include popular platforms such as Match, Tinder, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and Our Time.
The investigation found that the company’s conduct violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (CFA), the Internet Dating Safety Act (IDSA), and related Division regulations.
“New Jerseyans who use online dating platforms deserve transparency about whether convicted sex offenders and other violent criminals could be among those contacting them,” said Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. “Our internet dating safety law requires dating services to clearly disclose the steps they take — or fail to take — to identify dangerous offenders. We will continue to hold companies accountable when they fail to comply with the law.”
The IDSA, enacted to enhance user safety and increase public awareness of risks associated with internet dating, applies to any company providing dating services to New Jersey residents. The law mandates clear disclosure of whether criminal history background screenings are performed on platform users.
Under the terms of the settlement, Match Group must accurately represent its criminal background screening policies to its New Jersey members. Within 150 days, affiliates that perform such screenings must send an email or issue a pop-up notification to all existing New Jersey members detailing updates to their disclosure practices.
“New Jersey consumers deserve to know what protections are in place when they use online dating services,” said Christopher Peterson, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “Under our strong consumer protection laws, dating platforms must provide users with the information they need to make informed choices about who they meet and communicate with online.”
The Consent Order requires affected Match Group affiliates to clearly and conspicuously—in bold letters and at least 12-point type—disclose:
· The means and methods used to conduct criminal background screenings;
· Whether screening information is updated, and if so, how often;
· Whether the site allows members identified as having a conviction for any crime, including those qualifying for sex offender registration, to access the service to communicate with New Jersey members; and
· What crimes, if any, disqualify a member from accessing the service.
Additionally, the platforms must include safety notifications regarding the limitations of criminal background screenings. These disclosures must state that screenings are not foolproof, may give a false sense of security, that criminals may circumvent search technology, that not all criminal records are public or up to date, that only publicly available convictions are included, and that foreign country convictions are not covered.
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