By: Richard L. Smith
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs have announced a significant settlement with Bumble, Inc., a Texas-based internet dating service provider.
The company, responsible for the popular Bumble and Badoo dating platforms, has agreed to pay $315,000 and revamp its business practices.
This action comes after allegations that Bumble violated New Jersey’s consumer protection and internet dating safety laws by misrepresenting or failing to disclose its criminal background screening policies.
The investigation by the Division found that Bumble's representations of its background check policies on the Bumble and Badoo platforms were either misleading or not disclosed at all.
This non-compliance was in direct violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (CFA), the Internet Dating Safety Act (IDSA), and associated regulations for Internet dating services.
As part of the settlement, Bumble has committed to making significant changes to adhere to New Jersey laws and regulations.
These include accurately disclosing its criminal background screening policies on its websites and apps.
The company must also inform whether individuals with criminal backgrounds can access the services to interact with New Jersey users and detail the background screenings' scope and limitations.
Attorney General Platkin emphasized the right of New Jersey residents using internet dating services to be aware if their potential online suitors include convicted sex offenders or other violent criminals.
The IDSA, part of the CFA, mandates internet dating services to disclose whether they conduct criminal background checks on users and the effectiveness of these checks.
The Division initiated its investigation into Bumble in 2020 amidst increasing reports of sexual assaults associated with dating platforms.
Findings revealed that Bumble and Badoo partially screened users against sex offender registries but did not comprehensively conduct criminal background checks, leading to potential risks for users.
Under the settlement terms, Bumble must update its website disclosures within 45 days to reflect its criminal background screening practices accurately.
This update should be communicated to all New Jersey users through email and pop-up notifications.
The disclosures must cover the methods of criminal background screenings, frequency of updates, access of convicted criminals to the service, and the types of crimes that disqualify users.
Additionally, Bumble is required to include safety awareness notifications on its dating sites, highlighting the limitations of criminal background screenings and the potential for criminals to bypass these checks.
This settlement underscores New Jersey's commitment to ensuring internet dating services comply with laws designed to protect consumers and enhance online dating safety.
Bumble's agreement to these terms Is a crucial step in holding internet dating sites accountable to public safety standards.