New provisions to a Connecticut data privacy law centered around safety in online dating are among the new state statutes taking effect in 2024. Online dating services had until Jan. 1 to adopt formal policies for handling harassment reports made by its users, which includes “harmful or unwanted behavior.” The law also requires these sites to provide advice for users on how to avoid romance scams, domestic violence information, and sexual harassment resources.
McCarter Government Affairs Advisor Vin Mauro, Jr. former Chief of Staff for Democrats in the Connecticut Senate, said the law is a first step toward settling jurisdictional issues and creating potential state-level causes of action against websites. “State legislatures all over the country are going to grapple with how to protect people and the responsibilities of the people who provide online services.”