Critics argue that the new integration could famously mimic flawed criminal background checks without necessarily making dating apps (e.g. Tinder) safer
When Jerrel Gantt was released from prison after three years, he was given a pamphlet about health care and nothing else. He began looking for work, which was a highly stressful process, and secured housing through a ministry in New York. He later enrolled in a part-time school.
See also: Tinder: You will be able to check the criminal record of a potential "date"
As he got his life back on track after prison, Gantt began dating people he met on dating apps like Tinder.
The dating process has been challenging — revealing that he was a former prisoner usually came in the early stages of Gantt’s dating. “It’s something I’m afraid to do, and I feel like I have to do it because that’s the kind of person I am,” Gantt said. While the information about his history is public, he likes to be in control of that conversation so he can be as clear about the details as possible.
Now, a new initiative aims to put that information in the hands of dating app users, largely to address security concerns that have arisen on dating apps like Tinder. Match Group, which owns apps like Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge, recently announced a partnership with a nonprofit background check company called Garbo to integrate criminal background checks into its online properties.
See also: Fake collaboration apps "infect" employees and steal data!
However, critics argue that the new integration could mimic the famously flawed background checks and report that a third of the US adult population has a criminal record, without necessarily making dating apps safer.
One in four women in the US have experienced intimate partner violence (stalking, sexual and physical violence). The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (Rainn) reports that three out of four sexual assaults are not reported to authorities, a widespread problem that makes it harder to identify abusive users on dating apps.
But after a review of 150 sexual assault incidents involving dating apps, the same ProPublica investigation found that most accused perpetrators were not registered as sex offenders at the time of the crime and concluded that even if criminal records checks they would not be enough to prevent violence.
Also, a portion of people argue that checking a criminal record and displaying it on dating apps is another form of "lifetime punishment.".
See also: Interpol: Scammers approach their victims on dating apps!
The company is also working on a feature that allows users to submit their own “evidence” such as police reports, restraining orders, and other legal documents that allege crimes or harassment.
Sarah Lageson, a sociologist and assistant professor at the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University-Newark, said the onus should be on Match Group to vet users and ensure its platforms are safe. She also went on to say that involving users in legal systems is not a good idea.
Another key issue with Match Group's approach lies in the unreliability of criminal background checks.
In recent years, many employers have moved away from issuing criminal background checks to avoid the stigma this population already faces, as policing and convictions disproportionately affect certain races. As of 2020, 36 states and 150 cities have enacted a policy prohibiting employers from asking about the criminal background of the person they want to hire for their business.
Wanda Bertram, a spokeswoman for the Prison Policy Initiative, argued that because the U.S. doesn’t apply the same laws across all states, criminal background checks on dating apps will filter out groups of people who are already marginalized. She added that legal citations use labels like “sex offender” or “violent,” often without explaining anything about the person’s background.
Research shows that interpersonal relationships are key to the successful reintegration of a former inmate.
Source of information: theguardian.com
