The Panorama television program claims that it bought 10,000 online dating profiles from someone calling himself Edgars Apalais in the Dominican Republic. "He denied that people had not given their consent for their contact details, photographs or personal information to be shared," reported the BBC, which secretly recorded the conversation.
The profiles provided included names, email addresses, dates of birth, and sexual orientation. "Some profiles included photographs of celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Michael Caine and the TV chef Rick Stein," said the BBC.
But some were genuine. "The email addresses of academics, a House of Lords life peer and BBC employees were included on the list. All of these individuals told the programme that they had never used a dating website."
Coinciding with the first broadcast of the television program, the ICO announced that it has written to four of the UK's major dating websites following its own survey. The dating agencies have been asked to explain how they plan to respond to four primary concerns: poor visibility on terms and conditions over the use of personal information; the claim for an 'irrevocable' license to use members' data; the denial of any responsibility for the loss of members' data; and the expectation for the submission of members' data before providing the terms and conditions.
“The evidence we’re being presented with by the media," explained Simon Entwisle, the ICO’s director of operations, "suggests quite concerning business practices by some dating websites, and there are particular questions around how people’s information is being used that need to be answered."
Entwistle noted that the "media reports are painting a disturbing picture," but that "the number of complaints we’re getting from the public is not very high." The public, of course, might not know that their profiles are being sold, might not care, or might simply be reluctant to acknowledge the use of online dating.
The companies written to by the ICO are eHarmony, match.com, Cupid, and Global Personals, as well as the industry trade body, the Association of British Introduction Agencies.