As Mashable reports, a new New York law (the Internet safety act) will require online dating sites to include a warning on their site informing users about the potential dangers of online dating.Honestly, do we really the government to get involved in this? Apparently and sadly, the answer seems to be yes.
It’s the year 2010 and technology has long taken over our lives (whether for better or worse is a different story). GPS locators, for the longest time regarded as a secretive and mysterious technology used predominantly by the military and law enforcement, are built into almost every single handheld phone. Apps and widgets then relay this information to websites that willingly display it, with or without the user’s permission or knowledge. Never has stalking been easier.
In the old days, as a dedicated stalker, you had to be a mix of James Bond and Magnum, always on the lookout, always on the run. You had to keep track of your victim’s schedule, find out his or her phone number, hide in the bushes, compile a list of his or her friends ... you had to actually gather the information yourself. Now, all you have to do is sit back, sign up for a couple of social media and online dating sites, and wait for the information to come directly to you.
So, what effect will the new law have? My personal opinion: none, as far as the user is concerned. Users will always give out all their personal information, simply because they can, not because it’s required for any of the devices or sites to work. They still will lament about the fallout and cry foul, looking for someone to blame (and sue—after all, this is America) if something unpleasant happens.
Which makes my closing argument: The law will hopefully protect the owners of those sites from potential lawsuits.
No law can and will prevent stupidity. But, as long as this is where the government’s involvement in my online dating adventures ends, I rest my case.
In the old days, as a dedicated stalker, you had to be a mix of James Bond and Magnum, always on the lookout, always on the run. You had to keep track of your victim’s schedule, find out his or her phone number, hide in the bushes, compile a list of his or her friends ... you had to actually gather the information yourself. Now, all you have to do is sit back, sign up for a couple of social media and online dating sites, and wait for the information to come directly to you.
So, what effect will the new law have? My personal opinion: none, as far as the user is concerned. Users will always give out all their personal information, simply because they can, not because it’s required for any of the devices or sites to work. They still will lament about the fallout and cry foul, looking for someone to blame (and sue—after all, this is America) if something unpleasant happens.
Which makes my closing argument: The law will hopefully protect the owners of those sites from potential lawsuits.
No law can and will prevent stupidity. But, as long as this is where the government’s involvement in my online dating adventures ends, I rest my case.
