One of the main reasons people avoid online dating is because it seems to be an unsafe method of meeting that special someone.  You don’t get to see anything more than their picture and you can’t be sure anything they say is true.

Consequently, a lot of people are staying off line, but are also staying single.

The idea of background checks has become a popular selling point for sites like True.com.  By screening all of their singles, members of the site feel safer knowing that they are talking to the ‘real’ person they think they are talking to.

Or are they?

There’s a lot of discussion right now as to whether these background checks are actually all that effective.  After all, thieves and con artists thwart them in other situations, why is it so difficult to believe that they can’t slip past them here too?

Some people are crying ‘foul’ for these background checks as they generally are only a cursory check that doesn’t usually spot the liars.

But with potential new legislation making background checks necessary for online dating, is this combination of events setting up the online dating system for a fall?

If this legislation is enacted, more singles might come online, thinking that online dating is safer.  But since the checks are often meaningless, this might actually increase the dangers of getting online – more people = more problems.

In the next few years, this question is going to be something that people consider before searching for love online.  For if the checks in place aren’t really helping, then what’s the benefit to them?

Happy Valentine’s Day?

News & Views, Personal Profiles Background Checks, Profile, Risks, Trust, Truth

With all of the attention on the presidential candidates right now, don’t you sometimes just want a break from the mudslinging?   Apparently you’re not the only one.  An online booty call poll voted on potential presidential candidates and their spouses to see who the winner would be.

And it seems like it’s a year for the Democrats.

Hillary Clinton won the Booty Call poll over Obama with 55% of the vote, while former candidate Jon Edwards’ wife Elizabeth won the vote for the candidate spouses.

But what does it matter who the general public will sleep with?   Well, it’s no secret that many people vote based on who they like in the election – not necessarily who they agree with.  If something has a face they like and they’re not in completely opposition to their looks, that candidate might have a better shot.

It sounds crude, but in a media driven world, is it really any surprise?

That said, the creators of this poll wondered if Edwards should have stuck it out in the nomination process because his wife was so highly ranked.  In an election year, it seems, any advantage might be one the candidate should take.

Polls like these are a little silly, but if they help voters learn who the candidates are and what they stand for, perhaps we’re actually all becoming more educated voters as a result.  And that’s not a bad thing at all.

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With a target of one million online dating subscribers, Luvoo.com is a aiming to be a giant in the online dating market. But with their newly renovated dating site and additional features, this is a business that knows when it’s time to make some changes.

Starting March 20, 2007, all dating members will need to pay a yearly $29.95 fee for their subscription. Until then, the site will be free, aside from premium services that have always been available for paying members.

Why the sudden change? It seems that Luvoo.com feels that the following features offer more value than other competing websites – and with the fees Luvoo hasn’t charged, they’re missing out on a lot of profits:

• Luvoo Match Making Dating Game
• Instant Notifier
• The Luvoo Dating Card
• Verified Member

By turning over their business to a fee-based plan, members will have access to all of these upcoming features as well as to the millions of other members on their site.

Does Luvoo think that business will change because of the fees? There is some speculation that this will be the case, but most of the company feels that this can only increase their subscriber numbers as they will be offering more on their dating site without the high monthly payments of other competitors. At only $2.50 a month, this is a very reasonable price.

Will other dating sites follow suit? This is something that will have to be monitored over the next year or so. But until then, if you’re a Luvoo member, you might want to get your credit card ready.

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