Press Release

Senator Pérez introduces legislation to make online dating safer for millions of Californians

SACRAMENTO – Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) has introduced SB 957, the Online Dating Safety and Transparency Act, designed to strengthen safety standards, transparency, and accountability across online dating platforms operating in California. Specifically, it would require online dating services to adopt a safety policy that meets minimum standards for protecting users. It would also mandate annual reporting to ensure accountability and impose penalties for noncompliance.

“Online dating is firmly established as a popular way for people to meet, but the safety standards behind these platforms have clearly not kept pace,” said Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena). “Californians deserve transparency, accountability, and basic protections when they use apps or websites that facilitate intimate, personal interactions. This legislation would ensure companies take responsibility for user safety instead of leaving people to fend for themselves.”

With nearly one‑third of American adults having used an online dating service, these platforms have become part of modern social life. But alongside their popularity, reports of harassment, sexual abuse, and deceptive behavior have increased—often without adequate response from the companies that operate them. 

In California, a man in Fontana was arrested in 2024 for raping a woman he met on a dating app. Police discovered that he had been using multiple usernames and fake identities across various dating platforms to connect with women. 

A Pew Research survey further revealed that 35% of American adults who use dating platforms have received unsolicited explicit images or messages, while 9% reported receiving threats of physical harm. These threats and unwanted behaviors are more commonly experienced by women under 50 years of age. Despite these dangers, California currently has no comprehensive safety requirements for online dating services.

Specifically, SB 957 would mandate online dating services to:

  • Submit their safety policy to the California Attorney General
  • File an annual safety report detailing compliance and user‑protection efforts
  • Face a $20,000 penalty for failing to meet the bill’s requirements

“Senator Perez’s bill requires true transparency and greater accountability for online dating companies, taking a strong step towards making it safer for Californians looking for love,” said Kathryn Kosmides, Founder and CEO of Garbo, a nonprofit with a mission to help prevent harm in the digital age and supporter of SB 957. “We can and should be doing more to prevent perpetrators finding unsuspecting people through online dating apps, and Senator Perez’s bill pushes this goal forward.” 

SB 957 will be considered by the State Senate in the coming months.

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Senator Sasha Renée Pérez is Chair of the Senate Education Committee and represents the 25th Senate District that includes the communities of Glendale, Pasadena, Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Claremont, Glendora, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta-Montrose, Monrovia, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, Temple City, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland, and San Antonio Heights.