Online dating industry bitterly divided over background checks

http://news.smh.com.au/online-dating-industry-bitterly-divided-over-background-checks/20080212-1rpt.html

As Valentine's Day approaches, all is not lovey-dovey in the high-stakes online dating industry.

The contentious issue of the moment _ pitting one of the three biggest companies, True.com, against its major rivals _ is whether online dating services can enhance their clients' safety by conducting criminal background screenings of would-be daters.

Last month, New Jersey became the first state to enact a law requiring the sites to disclose whether they perform background checks. True.com _ the only large online dating service that already does such screenings _ was elated by its successful lobbying and hopes other states will follow suit.

"The online dating industry tends to get a real bad rap, because of criminal activity," said True.com's founder and chief executive, Herb Vest. "If we were to clean up, there's hordes of off-line singles who'd come online to find their soul mate."

I'm wondering how they judge this. If someone committed a crime 20 years ago (say shoplifting), does this disqualify them? The industry I work in requires background criminal checks, but the emphasis in on child sex offences, or sex offences in general. No start if you have one to your name. So I imagine that sex offences would rule out potential daters. (As an aside: But what if Bill Clinton signed up?)

I suppose past AVOs would also count? Would they take circumstances into consideration? Even the police know that some AVOs are used for "political means". I'm wondering how the operate this screening process. Then again, I never use dating agencies (been divorced 8 years). I tried one soon after divorce and felt like I was going through a money-making factory.

What if criminals want to meet potential associates?  Where can they go?  Won't someone think of the criminal?