I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6125 
To require online dating service providers to provide fraud ban notifications 
to online dating service members, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 30, 2023 
Mr. VALADAO (for himself and Ms. PETTERSEN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To require online dating service providers to provide fraud 
ban notifications to online dating service members, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Online Dating Safety 
Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. ONLINE DATING SAFETY. 
(a) FRAUD BAN NOTIFICATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An online dating service pro-
vider shall provide to a member of the online dating 
service a fraud ban notification if the member has 
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received a message through the online dating service 
from a banned member of the online dating service. 
(2) REQUIRED CONTENTS.—A fraud ban notifi-
cation under paragraph (1) shall include the fol-
lowing: 
(A) The username or other profile identi-
fier of the banned member, as well as the most 
recent time when the member to whom the noti-
fication is being provided sent or received a 
message through the online dating service to or 
from the banned member. 
(B) A statement that the banned member 
may have been using a false identity or at-
tempting to defraud members. 
(C) A statement that a member should not 
send money or personal financial information to 
another member. 
(D) An online link to information regard-
ing ways to avoid online fraud or being de-
frauded by a member of an online dating serv-
ice. 
(E) Contact information to reach the cus-
tomer service department of the online dating 
service provider. 
(3) MANNER AND TIMING.— 
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(A) MANNER.—A fraud ban notification 
under paragraph (1) shall be— 
(i) clear and conspicuous; and 
(ii) provided by email, text message, 
or other appropriate means of communica-
tion consented to by the member. 
(B) TIMING.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided 
in clauses (ii) and (iii), an online dating 
service provider shall provide a fraud ban 
notification under paragraph (1) not later 
than 24 hours after the fraud ban is initi-
ated against the banned member. 
(ii) DELAY BASED ON JUDGMENT OF 
PROVIDER.—If, in the judgment of the on-
line dating service provider, the cir-
cumstances require a fraud ban notifica-
tion under paragraph (1) to be provided 
after the 24-hour period described in 
clause (i), the online dating service pro-
vider shall, except as provided in clause 
(iii), provide the notification not later than 
3 days after the day on which the fraud 
ban is initiated against the banned mem-
ber. 
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(iii) DELAY UPON REQUEST OF LAW 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.—If, due to an 
ongoing investigation, a law enforcement 
official requests an online dating service 
provider to delay providing a fraud ban no-
tification under paragraph (1) beyond the 
time when the notification is required to be 
provided under clause (i) or (ii), the online 
dating service provider— 
(I) may not provide the notifica-
tion before the end of the period of 
delay (including any extension of such 
period) requested by the law enforce-
ment official; and 
(II) shall provide the notification 
not later than 3 days after the last 
day of the period of delay (including 
any extension of such period) re-
quested by the law enforcement offi-
cial. 
(4) LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.—An online dat-
ing service provider is not liable to a person in a 
civil action based on any of the following: 
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(A) The means of communication used to 
provide a fraud ban notification to a member 
under paragraph (1). 
(B) The timing of a fraud ban notification 
provided to a member under paragraph (1). 
(C) The disclosure of information in a 
fraud ban notification provided under para-
graph (1), including the following: 
(i) Information that a member is a 
banned member or the subject of a fraud 
ban. 
(ii) The username or other profile 
identifier of the banned member. 
(iii) The reason that the online dating 
service provider initiated the fraud ban of 
the banned member. 
(5) NO PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION; PRESERVA-
TION OF CERTAIN IMMUNITY.—This subsection does 
not create a private right of action or diminish or 
adversely affect protections for an online dating 
service provider under section 230 of the Commu-
nications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230). 
(b) ENFORCEMENT BY FEDERAL TRADE COMMIS-
SION.— 
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(1) UNFAIR
OR
DECEPTIVE
ACTS
OR
PRAC-
TICES.—A violation of this section shall be treated 
as a violation of a regulation under section 
18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act 
(15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or decep-
tive acts or practices. 
(2) POWERS
OF
COMMISSION.—The Commis-
sion shall enforce this section in the same manner, 
by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, 
powers, and duties as though all applicable terms 
and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act 
(15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and 
made a part of this section, and any person who vio-
lates this section shall be subject to the penalties 
and entitled to the privileges and immunities pro-
vided in the Federal Trade Commission Act. 
(3) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
section may be construed to limit the authority of 
the Commission under any other provision of law. 
(c) ONE NATIONAL STANDARD.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A State, or political subdivi-
sion of a State, may not maintain, enforce, pre-
scribe, or continue in effect any law, rule, regulation, 
requirement, standard, or other provision having the 
force and effect of law of the State, or political sub-
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division of the State, that requires an online dating 
service provider to notify, prohibits an online dating 
service provider from notifying, or otherwise affects 
the manner in which an online dating service pro-
vider is required or permitted to notify, a member 
of the online dating service that the member has re-
ceived a message from or sent a message to a 
banned member through the online dating service. 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—This subsection 
may not be construed to preempt any law of a State 
or political subdivision of a State relating to con-
tracts or torts. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) BANNED
MEMBER.—The term ‘‘banned 
member’’ means a member of an online dating serv-
ice whose account or profile on the online dating 
service is the subject of a fraud ban. 
(2) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 
means the Federal Trade Commission. 
(3) FRAUD BAN.—The term ‘‘fraud ban’’ means 
the termination or suspension of the account or pro-
file of a member of an online dating service because, 
in the judgment of the online dating service pro-
vider, there is a significant risk the member will at-
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tempt to obtain money from another member 
through fraudulent means. 
(4) MEMBER.—The term ‘‘member’’ means an 
individual who— 
(A) submits to an online dating service 
provider the information required by the pro-
vider to establish an account or profile on the 
online dating service; and 
(B) is allowed by the provider to establish 
such an account or profile. 
(5) ONLINE DATING SERVICE.—The term ‘‘on-
line dating service’’ means a service that— 
(A) is provided through a website or a mo-
bile application; and 
(B) offers members access to dating or ro-
mantic relationships with other members by ar-
ranging or facilitating the social introduction of 
members. 
(6) ONLINE DATING SERVICE PROVIDER.—The 
term ‘‘online dating service provider’’ means a per-
son engaged in the business of offering an online 
dating service. 
(7) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each 
State of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
each commonwealth, territory, or possession of the 
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United States, and each federally recognized Indian 
Tribe. 
(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 
on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
Æ 
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