On Hinge, the basic text prompt for users to share information about themselves is unmitigated hell.
“When you are being strangled by the invisible hand of capitalism, all sex is choking sex,” read one profile I found. This app has an amazing number of men who like to do yoga naked. Another man held up a photo of himself holding a mug that read „World's Smallest Rooster,“ but didn't bother posting a picture of his adorable rooster. Things don't get much better when you open a chat. When I recently asked a man in his 40s what he liked about Spain, he simply replied, „Chica.“
These are relatively tame examples. Unfortunately, some people are dealing with dangerous and aggressive users on dating apps, and lawmakers are taking notice. But no matter how bad online dating is, government intervention is not the answer. The problem is the user, not the app.
a invoice A recent introduction in Colorado aims to make dating apps like Hinge and Bumble safer for users.first section of SB24-011 This requires all dating services with users in Colorado to submit an annual report to the Colorado Attorney General regarding reports of abuse from or about users in the state. It will be forced. If that is not available, the app must report all abuse reports from all over the United States. All these reports will be made public.
The bill leaves some of the details up to state attorneys general, but it would likely mean that any false reports people make about each other on dating apps would become public record. Dew. The bill uses the term „member information“ to suggest that disclosures about individual members would be required. Scorned lovers, racists, incels, and other people with hostile motives can file false reports that can negatively impact people's future job or dating prospects. And a report on a government website looks much more legitimate than someone getting angry on social media. These reports may also lead to investigations of innocent users by law enforcement.
If you file a complaint to get back together with your ex, it will be filed with the Attorney General and will become public record. And if a racist files a false report against all people of color, future employers may find out when they investigate those people. I also research dates before I go out with them, not just to be on the safe side, but also because it turns out that many of the men who ask me out are married. But if I didn't know how the law required disclosure, I would be deterred from dating a man if I saw this information in his search results before he clicked the link. maybe.
Just like I tried Tinder before using Hinge, the previous version's bill was somehow even worse. A change in Colorado law would have allowed dating service users injured by other members to sue the dating service if the service was reported before the incident. It doesn't matter if the two never met on the app, or even if the cheating reports are true. The report must be submitted before the „incident“. This means that even if a user was connected to another user before being suspended and a report was filed, the app is still liable if it causes harm to that user.
A spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Jared Polis said, „The governor believes in a free and open internet and believes that decisions about how people interact on social media rest with individuals, not the government. ” he said.
At a time when many elected officials are trying to blame platforms for user behavior, Polis offers a different approach. „Whether you're meeting your date at a bar, dance club, coffee shop, or online, it's important to take safety seriously,“ the spokesperson explained. „The Governor appreciates the sponsor's willingness to amend the bill to remove the private right of action and allow Coloradans to continue to use dating sites.“ He did not comment at all about the date.
What's scary about dating apps is that they have terrible users, like the guy who took me to the cafeteria, drank the drink he packed himself without even asking me if I wanted one, and then grilled me and ghosted me for 15 minutes. Because there is. (I later learned that he was 14 years older than he claimed, and Hinge had repeatedly banned him. Since that day, he has matched me with his three other times.) I tried.)
Colorado's bill will not help keep users safe, but it will negatively impact future dating and employment prospects, often for no reason. This is the wrong approach.