Current Law

Creating fake profiles to scam people for money violates community standards set by major Internet platforms including Facebook, Instagram and Google. Tech firms have implemented procedures to ensure people use their real identities, but criminals have found loopholes they can be exploited. There’s currently no law forcing tech firms to remove false profiles.

Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act (CDA230) grants immunity to any provider of an “interactive computer service” for user-generated content. This means that social media platforms and dating apps can host romance scams with zero liability for the harm they have facilitated.