Posted on 04/28/2005 1:32:39 PM PDT by Cat loving Texan
Dallas man behind computer dating bill
09:41 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 27, 2005
By DAVE MICHAELS / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN – Herb Vest, the Dallas entrepreneur who led the fight to reshape the accounting industry, is taking on a new set of opponents: massive technology companies.
His rivals oppose his nationwide effort to require that users of online dating services undergo criminal background checks. They say Mr. Vest, the owner of matchmaking service True.com, is using his connections – including those earned as a generous donor to Texas Republican officials – to leverage government regulation against his competition, which includes industry leader Match.com.
But Mr. Vest says his proposed legislation is sorely needed. He points to scores of media stories that illustrate how predators used online dating services to take advantage of victims.
"I am a dedicated guy," Mr. Vest said of his effort. "The opposition needs to reckon with that."
Mr. Vest, 60, has never shrunk from controversy. His last crusade roiled the accounting establishment, resulting in changes to state rules that broadened the profession's emphasis from independent audits to selling financial advice.
"He started the fight and opened the door," said Phyllis Bernstein, a New York consultant who was formerly a director of the American Institute of CPAs. "He has a lot of might."
A Texas Senate committee is expected to vote today on his bill that would require background checks for Internet dating sites. A House committee also is considering the measure.
(Excerpt) Read more at dallasnews.com ...
If this is true, it is positively an appallingly stupid and intrusive idea.
If adults want to pay for a criminal background check on someone they meet online, there are plenty of places that offer that service.
But to require it by law?
This guy has GOT to be kidding. If I were single, I would be outraged.
I cannot believe a business man would want this.
Sumpinaintright. . .
Another example of buying influence from corrupt politicians.
Stupid, IMHO. I met my husband online and I've been married happily for 8 years. However, I knew that there were online risks and I was most careful. He teases me about it to this day. If someone wants to know about a person's criminal past, then they can have it checked. Or to be competitive, a service can demand them and allow it to be part of their marketing. And their prices. Then people can have something to choose from. But to make it mandatory is another form of government which is too bored to let us alone.
His online dating servive does do background checks. So he's trying to force his competitors to match, figuring he already has a competitive advantage. Also, he gets a LOT of free advertising for his service.
Unless that business man has a vested interest in the revenue it will produce.
You are correct, my lord.
Hmm. I wasn’t directly involved in the HR function, but I know we did a variety of background checks on different potential employees.
I know they did a credit and dmv check on most people. I recall that the machine used to check dmv records had to be a dedicated, stand-alone machine in its own little alarmed room. Access to that room was supposed to be limited to only those people that needed the info.
No info was supposed to be shared with anyone except those few that required it. Any printed info or any information based on the dmv database was supposed to be shredded. On and on.
So in essence, I’d think people would be less interested in whether all companies are required to do background checks, and more interested in whether/not his company is properly containing and handling the information reports he’s getting, depending what they are.
I'm waiting for the day when some government official comes to my apartment to check my supply of toilet paper and write out a ticket telling me to buy more, because I'm too stupid to know when I'm running low.
More nanny-statism at work here.
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