Signed by Governor Kathy Hochul

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends and updates rules for online dating apps, such as requiring them to notify users within 24 hours if banned members attempt fraud or use false identities in New York.

Highlights:

• Limits social referral service contracts to a maximum purchase amount of $1,000 and a maximum duration of 2 years from the initial date of contract agreement, excluding online dating services with (Sec. 1) 

• An initial contract term duration of 1 year or less; and

• Any subsequent terms with a duration of 1 year or less with a payment that takes the total amount over $1,000.

• Prohibits social referral service providers from requiring ancillary service purchases to use the primary services (Sec. 1).

• Requires social referral services that charge more than $25 to provide users with a certain number of referrals per month, excluding online dating services with (Sec. 1):

• search functions; 

• services that provide possible matches to users; or 

• Algorithm or location-based matching.

• Requires social referral services that require a purchase of more than $25 to provide purchasers an option to cancel their contracts and receive a full refund, if the social referral services fail to provide a certain number of referrals per month for two or more consecutive months (Sec. 1).

• Requires social referral services to allow purchasers the ability to pause membership with a written notice for a period of up to 1 year (Sec. 1).

• Requires social referral services to return or destroy any information or material that is personal or private to the purchaser, if the retention of material is not required by (Sec.1):

• Local, state, or federal laws; or

• Judicial court order. 

• Requires social referral services to allow purchasers to terminate contracts via mail or email without cancellation fees for a maximum period of 3 days following the physical or electronic receipt of a copy of the written contract (Sec. 1).

• Requires social referral services to allow purchasers to determine and set limits on the distance to meet any referral from the service if the services are not explicit on a regional, national, or global basis in the contract (Sec. 1).

• Establishes a maximum civil penalty of $1,000 for any violation of the distance between purchaser and referral specified in the contract (Sec. 1).

• Requires online dating services to disclose any identifying information of any banned members to any New York members known to have contacted the banned member (Sec. 1). 

Full Bill Text