eHarmony criticized and parodied
By David Cassel
Friday’s lawsuit in California was only the tip of the iceberg. Rival matchmaking services have also launched an attack on eHarmony, criticizing its policy of providing online matchmaking services only to straight couples.
“We are disappointed in eHarmony’s continued practice of discriminating against the gay community,” announced the CEO of Perfectmatch today. He also faulted eHarmony for rejecting applicants who have been divorced too many times. “We never have and never will judge our members.”
Friday the founder of MyPartnerPerfect announced the launch of a rival service dedicated exclusively to matchmaking services for gay men. And Chemistry.com has been attacking eHarmony’s policy directly, in a new multi-million dollar ad campaign which shows people describing their experiences of rejection from eHarmony. It reports that over 1 million people have been rejected by eHarmony.com, then touts their own slogan — “Come as you are.” [youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=NgxOhG2nDOA[/youtube] eHarmony was furious, according to the Washington Post, and asked that the ads be pulled from television or amended with some softer language.
It’s all brought tremendous publicity to the caveats that eHarmony reserves for its service. It’s not clear whether eHarmony can be be legally compelled to extend their match-making services to gay and lesbian date-seekers. But in some way, the free market is already starting to weigh in.
“[W]e believe eHarmony will do whatever it wants…” said the CEO of Perfect match, “but that consumers will be the ultimate judge as to whether institutional discrimination is smart business.”
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June 3rd, 2007
This is a privately owned web site and as such it can make whatever rules it chooses. There are many other sites on the Internet that I will not join because I do not approve of their privacy policy and/or TOS. It’s a tempest in a teapot.
June 3rd, 2007
Catmoves, that may not be the case.
There are laws in place that prevent discrimination. eHarmony’s policies may run afoul of those laws.
Guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens.
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http://watching-eyes.blogspot.com/
June 3rd, 2007
I am not sure if eHarmony could be forced do what it does not want to. Yet I believe everyone should be treated the same. Could we exclude Neil Clark Warren from the same rights? I am confused!!
June 4th, 2007
My thoughts are “The Gay & Lesbian community have gone too far & need to be put back in the closet where they belong.”
June 4th, 2007
Michael if you were a woman I would pursue you to no end.
June 4th, 2007
Michael, Eric, good thing you met on here. eHarmony would reject you in a second…
June 5th, 2007
That’s cool, fags and dykes get lost!
June 6th, 2007
Anyone who thinks they’ll meet the love of their life online is seriously stupid.
June 8th, 2007
Did you all know that eHarmony owns Gayharmony.net? Just scroll down on this website to the bottom where it says Registrant: http://www.whois.net/whois_new.cgi?d=gayharmony&tld=net
June 21st, 2007
Did you all know that eHarmony owns Gayharmony.net?
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Does it also give you a cold shoulder after you waste an hour of your life filling out the requisite form?
August 23rd, 2007
Watching Eyes says …………………
There are laws in place that prevent discrimination. eHarmony’s policies may run afoul of those laws.
Please cite any such ‘laws’, and a copy of a website where you scanned in your criminal complaint, Just like I find on Smoking Gun,……oh!, you DON’T have one? amazing.
I deal with facts.
I also will express my opinion, but label it clearly, I do not like the EHarmony ads, and I never have.
I do not subscribe to the fake Christian morals, because I am a believer, and ‘Christians’ typically describe what they are by not believing their own Bible anymore.
August 23rd, 2007
Watching Eyes says …………………
9overcoming duplicate discriminator)
Tere r lawz n palce taht preevnt dismircination.
Please cite any such ‘laws’, and a copy of a website where you scanned in your criminal complaint, Just like I find on Smoking Gun,……oh!, you DON’T have one? amazing.
I deal with facts, sir.
I also will express my opinion, but label it clearly, I do not like the EHarmony ads, and I never have.
I do not subscribe to the fake Christian morals, because I am a believer, and ‘Christians’ typically describe what they are by not believing their own Bible anymore.
August 23rd, 2007
I DONT SERVE THEM SMELLY BLACKS IN MY PRIVATELY OWNED STORE, I CAN MAKE WHATEVER RULES I WANT!
January 31st, 2008
Thanks for sharing