Should there be a legal age for internet dating?
 

Or should there be any INTERNET DATING at all? xD

I love these things. Snapple's Elements drink tops has these good thought-provoking questions. :D

I'm SURE there's plenty of "internet dating" that goes around a lot that doesn't include pedobears... but that's part of the topic too. The dangers of internet dating largely thanks to internet pedophiles.

I'll admit that say that I had internet dated for maybe 3 times, two out of three, I had met them irl. I gotten my first computer and internet service when I was 20, approximately 8 years ago. I was way over my dating age to really care about pedophiles at this stage. And I did get lucky and got married to my third guy. :)

I'm for internet dating ONLY if the user isn't... well... dumb. But we still do have some DUMB people around and if there is a legal age of dating across on the internet (it'll be interesting to hear from some parents here) what would it be?

Is the dangers of puppy love any different internet love too? ;)

I'm actually considering using an internet dating service, especially because most of the nice girls that I meet have engagement rings (or are involved).

Did you pay the $60/month for eHarmony or did you go through another service?

Age limit? Just one more thing for people to lie about. You already have people saying their younger trying to get under aged sex. Having people saying their older only compounds the problems because now the creepers will have the defense of 'she told me she was 18'.
Internet dating is never a good idea, if only for the reason of a large amount of predators out there. The danger is not just for kids, rapists more and more begin a cycle on the Internet.

There should be an intelligence requirement instead of an age requirement for internet dating. Like, "YOUR IQ SHOULD BE ____ TO BE ABLE TO USE THIS SERVICE".

I agree Vemp, I agree that intelligence has alot to do with it.

And no Matt, I wouldn't DARE pay out that much money for some guy I can actually meet on a message board with similar interests as mine like... ohh... GFF! xD Seriously, I met him on here at GFF. I highly recommend you to just meet people with similar interests first online WITHOUT INTENTIONS to find a date.

Paper Crane, yes, I agree on your post about dangers of internet dating. I personally had a bad apple story with my second guy. Thankfully he lives like across the world. xD And I wouldn't base the horrors of internet dating wholeheartedly the concept, I mean, its IS good for something.

I mean look at GFF meets here, its going quite well that we're developing quite a community here like you haven't seen. We have communities everywhere unlike e-harmony money grubbers, that are online that allows people to find plenty of friendship across the country/world! :)

Can you back this up? We all know about what's happened with very young teenage girls, but aside from some random incidents I hadn't heard there was a real problem with grown women.

That's if you're stupid, gullible, and lack a sense of idea of how the internet works. Like I said, age doesn't really matter, intellect does. I know a lot of people younger than I that act mature for their age. So age doesn't really matter as far as "internet dating" goes.

My mother met a guy on the internet (not for dating purposes, but through a service that specializes in that) and he stalked her and the rest of my family, stole our computer. I ended up with a steel rod under my pillow for 6month until police apprehended him. At the time the doctors had screwed up her medications and made her crazy. Obviously they wont prey on people who know what they are doing and of right mind, they prey on the weak.

And how many stupid people are out there? A lot. Best part is stupid people don't think they're stupid and think they know what they're doing. I just find it's better to suggest nobody do it. You never know how weak you are until someone actually tricks you, sometimes it's not about how smart or clever you are.

Nothing like the truth closer to home to bring it to reality of things. Yes... being online is like going to the gas station, we'll never know who we'll run into. And yeah, I can see how being on a internet dating service CAN increase the chances of stalkers or pedophiles meets. I'm sorry to hear about your mother's horrible run in with a stalker though. Who knows how often this actually does happen to anyone.

A random consequence can be dangerous and building a community is probably the best way to prevent it from happening. Online community that is not built for money obviously or by people looking for dates/sex but people who actually does care about one another and friendship. I could dare say GFF does just that. I'm not advocating for internet dating, but I do wish to advocate online communities though. There's no sense of being afraid of the internet or be wary of EVERY user you meet... but yes, caution does has its virtue... Again, I'm sorry to hear that you got a run in on the ugly side of the internet. I don't get to hear this often of course. I do appreciate you posting it though, it should serve a remainder to those who aren't as wary as they should be.

It was a long time ago. And I do realize most people are not out to get you, and that even if they are, they can easily be avoided.

I just prefer to meet someone in real life and get to know them before going on a date. :D

I am sorry for what happened to you mother, but it still doesn't support that this a widespread problem as you indicated in your post.

Hmm.. I guess I was not clear. What I meant was that it does happen and it becoming more common. Not that it already is common.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ris_Hansen.jpg

This man has something to say about it.

So by internet dating we mean meeting over the net and then going out in real life, not just strictly online, right?

I'm assuming the former so no there shouldn't be an age limit for internet dating. The same laws apply to internet dating sites and meeting in other parts of the internet. Women will lie about their age in order to be with an older guy and older guys will want younger women. This happened many, many years before the internet and it still happens today. Maybe it happens more often, but I don't know.

I wouldn't want to restrict this tool because it is exactly that. Taking the proper percausions before meeting with someone and not giving out personal information is the best way to protect yourself. And if something goes wrong it's not all over. The police can help out and you can carry a self-defense weapon as well as taking self-defense classes in case you are ever in danger.

What is needed is education, not censorship.

I met my fiancee here too :)

Legal limitations on Internet dating seems more like an oxymoron to me rather than a issue of being within the realms of possibility. Internet relationships spawn from two people talking to each other online from interactions like what we see here in GFF and in private chats, which become more a routine, then an addiction, until one or more party(ies) realize that there's more to the friendship than just the lively conversations. Age really has no place in that equation.

I think most of the "dating services" like eHarmony.com at least require you to enter your birthdate year. If someone is starting off lying about your age, what good is it going to do for the future of the relationship.

I read in the paper there's some new dating site with a "hotness limit." Like, you have to be voted an 8+/10 by people on the site before you get in.

Since people can use myspace like an internet dating service, I'd say the ship has already sailed on this one. But ostensibly limiting registration to 18 is probably good from a liability sense for any site dedicated to dating.

Why not 18? Many of the perverts are over 18, so anything under that would be illegal, right?

I believe most of those services require that you be at least 18 years old to use their service, but it is pretty easy to just lie about your age.

How would you expect to regulate something like that? Seems like a waste of effort and money to try and put an age limit on online dating services. Let the individual companies deal with that.

IQ for Dating services? What about people who likes dumbie persons?. Not all funny and interesnting persons are inteligent.

An age limit should be set for dating services on the internet, I think. And of course, there's the legal about it - no person under 18 in the US can be held to a contract as they are a minor. Not to mention the credit card business.

But apart from that, it's a little ridiculous to say "you can't date people from the internet unless you're of X age." There's no enforcing it, there's no reason in it, and it's going to happen whether you like it or not.

As for people who date internet people and end up with some...repercussions from it, being an adult, you take into consideration the medium in which you meet your partner. You should be prepared and knowledgeable enough to understand that no matter what medium you go through, there are lunatics out there.

The internet isn't the only place that harbors crazies. Remember - those people live outside the internet, too.

And as for services, some of my friends have used them. I hear eHarmony is a crock of shit for $60 a month, but Match.com is pretty good. eHarmony restricts your interaction IMMENSELY.

I feel that people should grow their balls back and go out into the real world to meet people. Of course, this would require bathing and grooming on a regular basis, not to mention a little confidence. Might set the bar a little too high for some.