(HB65)Maryland Legislature to Censor the Internet
If the State of Maryland has its way it will become the first State to virtually block on-line dating sites to its citizens. HB65 (companion bill SB129) will require citizens to undergo rigorous criminal and marital background checks prior to being permitted to view any information (including profile photos and general information) on selected dating sites. The bill has already cleared the House and is awaiting action in the Senate.
“This law will have a chilling affect on all on-line dating companies and even companies like facebook and MySpace ”, stated John Adams, CEO of A Foreign Affair, www.loveme.com an on-line dating service since 1995 focusing on International couples. “This is 2010, virtually all dating sites have an international component, many with more international members than our site. The world is much smaller now than ever before and people will communicate with each other, no matter where they live, to force them to undergo criminal background checks just to communicate is very burdensome and goes against everything our country stands for. Adams goes on to state “residents of Maryland will not even be able to view photos or general information like hobbies or color of hair on thousands of sites without first undergoing a complete criminal and marital background check
Michael Parrotte, a concerned citizen of Maryland, is spearheading a grass roots effort in opposition to the legislation. “I’m not even using a dating site right now, I just feel that if I want to I should be able to without being fingerprinted”. I feel, as an American, that our rights are being stripped little by little, this is a shocking example of how easily it can happen.”
HB 65 has numerous sponsors, with the primary sponsor being Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, District 37B. Haddaway-Riccio stated that the bill simply mirrored the existing Federal legislation, International Marriage Broker Regulation Act, ‘IMBRA”, however a review of IMBRA reveals no fingerprints or mandated criminal background reports (other than a search of the National Sex Offender Data Base) required. Parrotte also stated that the legislation could easily affect Match.com, E-Harmony, Facebook, MySpace and other large sites, especially if they offer any pricing or promotions based on gender, “many of these sites have thousands of foreign singles on line, they could easily be considered an international marriage broker under this law.
The bill passed a Senate vote today and appears to be on its way to the governor.
You can find detailed information concerning this bill at www.marriageservices.org
You can call John Adams for comment at (602) 553-8178 ext. 203
You can call Michael Parrotte for comment at 800-777-7006
Related stories
Please Read House Bill 65
http://mensnewsdaily.com/2010/02/11/md-mens-dating-rights-sabotaged-at-kangaroo-hearing/
http://mensnewsdaily.com/2010/01/21/women-legislators-attack-mens-dating-rights/
Contact your Maryland Senators and Maryland Rrepresentatives
Please Call the Key Representatives in Maryland.
Find out who your Legislators are by zip code and city.
Letter to Representatives from Marriage Services
Singles-Exchange.Net
