Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

SecurityWeekSecurityWeek

Management & Strategy

Dating App Maker Match Group Backs US Bill Seen as Privacy Threat

Match Group, the parent company of dating apps such as Tinder, on Tuesday publicly endorsed a US bill others in the tech industry fear will erode online privacy and speech in the name of fighting child abuse.

Match Group, the parent company of dating apps such as Tinder, on Tuesday publicly endorsed a US bill others in the tech industry fear will erode online privacy and speech in the name of fighting child abuse.

US senators unveiled the bipartisan measure last week, aiming to curb images of child sex abuse by forcing tech platforms to cooperate with law enforcement on encryption or risk losing the legal immunity for what is posted on their websites.

Digital rights activists have joined the tech sector in arguing this move is an indirect way to weaken online encryption in the name of better law enforcement access.

They say it erodes two cornerstones of the online ecosystem: strong encryption to keep data secure, and a liability shield which enables social media platforms to allow users to post content freely.

“We don’t casually lend our support to this legislation,” Match Group chief executive Shar Dubey said in an online post.

“We must balance concerns around privacy with concerns around safety — which sometimes can be in conflict.”

Match Group has a line of dating apps including Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid and Hinge.

“We as tech leaders should engage with lawmakers in thoughtful dialogue and work on establishing guidelines and practices to make the online world a safer place for our kids,” Dubey said.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

“We support this legislation and the beginning of this very important conversation.”

A hearing is set for Wednesday on the measure, which is backed by victims’ rights organizations.

Lawmakers say the bill — Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act (EARN IT) — allows companies to “earn” their liability protection, by gaining certification of compliance from a commission of government, industry, legal and victim group representatives.

Encryption has been a point of contention between tech firms and law enforcement for decades.

Written By

AFP 2023

Click to comment

Trending

Daily Briefing Newsletter

Subscribe to the SecurityWeek Email Briefing to stay informed on the latest threats, trends, and technology, along with insightful columns from industry experts.

Join SecurityWeek and Hitachi Vantara for this this webinar to gain valuable insights and actionable steps to enhance your organization's data security and resilience.

Register

Event: ICS Cybersecurity Conference

The leading industrial cybersecurity conference for Operations, Control Systems and IT/OT Security professionals to connect on SCADA, DCS PLC and field controller cybersecurity.

Register

People on the Move

Tim McKnight has joined UnitedHealth Group as CISO following the Change Healthcare ransomware attack.

Zach Furness has joined MITRE as CISO.

Gregg R. Kendrick has been named CISO at Vanderbilt University.

More People On The Move

Expert Insights

Daily Briefing Newsletter

Subscribe to the SecurityWeek Email Briefing to stay informed on the latest cybersecurity news, threats, and expert insights. Unsubscribe at any time.