Online Dating Sites To Screen For Sexual Predators

California Attorney General Kamala Harris has reached an agreement with three online dating sites to screen for sex offenders.

Match.com, eHarmony and Spark Networks have all signed a joint statement of principles that include checking subscribers against national sex offender registries, providing a rapid way to report abuses and providing members with safety tips.

“I commend these companies for committing to these important consumer protections,” said Attorney General Harris. “Consumers should be able to use websites without the fear of being scammed or targeted. It is a priority for this office to ensure consumers are protected online, and companies who are creating in the Internet space have a continued opportunity to innovate and thrive.”

Although the statement is non-binding, the three companies said they hope to set an example in the online dating community.

“eHarmony has the greatest concern for the safety and security of our members. These types of practices have been part of our commitment to member safety and education for many years.” said eHarmony CEO Jeremy Verba. “We are proud to join Attorney General Harris, Match.com and Spark Networks in setting an example for the rest of the online dating industry.”

The agreement was inspired by the case of a Southern California woman, who was assaulted in 2010 by a man she met through Match.com. That man had previous sexual battery convictions.

It's simple. Keith Mizuguchi loves to write and write and write some more. After taking a hiatus from the journalism business, he has rekindled his passion for writing over the last two years, holding a job as both a web and on-air writer for San Francisco news radio station KCBS. While he enjoys the news business, his true passions are twofold: sports and food. Bay Area born and raised, he lives in San Jose, commutes to SF and loves every minute of it. You can follow his food adventures on Twitter @foodie_keith.