pmcnamara
News Editor

Now the EFF sounds an alarm about dating sites

Opinion
Feb 10, 20122 mins

It's been a rocky week for the likes of Match.com and eHarmony

Online dating sites seem to be taking an inordinate amount of abuse this Valentine’s Day season.

Not that I’m suggesting it isn’t deserved.

(Valentine’s Day Google Doodle’s through the years.)

First we had researchers from the University of Rochester highlighting the fact that sites such as eHarmony and Match.com have offered little more than whispered sweet nothings to support their claims that their matchmaking services are built upon a foundation of science.  

And now the Electronic Frontier Foundation is warning that users of online dating sites are risking more than eventual heartache and the specter of STDs:

Millions of people are using online dating sites to search for love or connection, but users should beware: Many online dating sites are taking short cuts in safeguarding the privacy and security of users. Whether it’s due to counter-intuitive privacy settings or serious security flaws, users of online dating profiles risk their privacy and security every day. Here are six sobering facts about online dating services and a few suggestions for routing around the privacy pitfalls.

Read ’em and weep.

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