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Frank Walther matched a woman on a dating app and planned to meet her at a climbing gym. After they had a short conversation, the woman told him that she was actually his date.
“I was attacked by a catfish,” said Walser, a Utah resident and now a former dating app user.
Walser said the woman looked nothing like the pictures online. When he confronted her about it, she shared her own anxieties. He offered to take the woman to her meal. She had lied about being a climber and about her interests, so they had to find something else.
“I was just trying to be a good guy,” he said. However, due to this exchange, he was stalked on social media and in his personal life.
Even with good intentions, online dating apps come with risks.
During the 2023 Congress, House Minority Leader Angela Romero (D-Salt Lake City) will again introduce legislation to combat the risks, fraud and potential violence associated with online dating. HB18 acts to protect individuals who use online dating apps.
Last year, Deseret News published an article about the dating app dilemma. This article focuses on examples of sexual predators, the difficulty of making genuine connections on dating apps, and some of the safety features that dating apps use. It is not always sufficient and is not currently required by the state.
In November 2022, Brigham Young University professors published a study that revealed disturbing trends in correlations with online dating. According to the study, from 2017 to his 2020, 14% of rapes committed in Utah occurred at first meetings arranged through online dating apps.
Assaults committed in connection with online dating apps are likely to be more violent, with a significant number of women reporting strangulation and chest injuries.
College students are most likely to survive these cases and are almost twice as likely as men to experience online dating app-related assault.
“I have been in Congress for 10 years and most of my law focuses on sexual assault, child sexual abuse, human trafficking and domestic violence,” Romero said. rice field.
She said the bill seems like the next step for public safety and is important for the next generation.
“This is how people meet people these days,” Romero said.
The bill would allow dating apps used in Utah to display pop-up safety ads, encourage responsible behavior such as sharing your location with trusted friends and relatives, and how to get out of situations if needed. and ensure that other safety measures are in place.
“We’re just trying to remind people that if there’s no consent, it’s called sexual assault,” Romero said.
The bill also makes resources more accessible and available to assist survivors in the event of assault or rape.
Romero said she is dedicated to reducing sexual assault and rape statistics and creating a safer online dating environment.Utah’s rape rate is higher than the national average, she said.
“The other thing is to remind people to have a plan when meeting someone for the first time,” she said.
Romero said subtle reminders can affect how users respond to dating apps and how they meet strangers.
The bill is the first step in addressing dating app security, Romero said. She wants to continue creating a safer environment for dating apps and online dating.
“For me, it’s really about the education part,” she said.
But some people don’t think this bill is enough. Walser questions whether it will work and how it will be tracked.
“I understand they’re trying to make dating safer,” he said, but ultimately “it’s the company’s job to implement these protocols.”
“People should be self-conscious and something should be involved, but I don’t know how the country can regulate that. Tighter regulations will have to be introduced.” He said.
Walser agrees that dating apps need education, but he said the bill simply isn’t enough.
He suggested other ideas, such as having a panic button on a dating app that automatically calls for help, similar to ride-sharing companies.
Walser said it would also be helpful to have short video clips of real stories from people who have had negative online dating experiences.
Sharing the risks that come with dating apps before granting access helps educate users. Walser also suggested that the app provide links to precautionary measures for those who choose to further their education.
According to Walser, users don’t skim or read terms and conditions, and they don’t want to read notifications.
A “safety awareness notice” is just that, a dismissal notice, he said, not enough to make the right difference in the way the world of online dating works.
Walther also questioned how the bill could track progress toward safety, especially when many assault and rape cases have not been reported.
“This bill is just crap,” said Walther. “Air. Not viable.”
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