True.com is a dating site that takes its members’ safety seriously.  Too seriously.  A headline on the main page warns married people and convicted criminals to close their browsers immediately.  Clicking the associated link takes one to True’s Safer Dating page, which is filled from top to bottom with ominous warnings.  The tagline?  "We can't guarantee that criminals won't get on our site, but we can guarantee that they'll be sorry they did".

A long article under the tagline goes on to explain that the site carefully screens new members for any felony history or marriage status.  It is specifically stated that "separated", or "divorce pending", is not good enough.  If a person has been separated for years and is living in an entirely different state from the spouse, or has filed for divorce and is waiting for it to become final, he or she is automatically lumped in with convicted felons.  Dire warnings explain the possible punishment for using the site while still married on even the most technical of bases–five years imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine.

Additionally, "convicted criminal" is apparently meant to include only felons, but no differentiation seems to be made between those still incarcerated or on probation, versus those who committed a crime many years ago and have become upstanding members of society since that time.  It seems that according to True, rehabilitation is not possible, and those who have ever been criminals are not worthy of mixing with normal society.

Obviously, user safety is a major concern in the anonymous world of internet dating.  Nonetheless, True’s stance seems to represent a dangerous backward step in tolerance and understanding in today’s society.  The ideal of keeping unsuspecting users from falling victim to adulterers and criminals is sound, but the way it is handled, in black and white with no shades of grey, is a sad testament to the backwards mindset that still exists in 21st century America.

The warning page sets an incredibly negative tone, even to those who are neither married nor convicted felons.  True may be a perfectly nice dating site, offering all sorts of additional features and perks to its members.  However, many will not stay long enough to make that determination, choosing instead to frequent sites that are less filled with fear and hatred.

True

Posted by Lisa.