issue 11 / volume 41 Do you want to date my avatar? » Online dating company sued for creating fake profiles to exploit customers Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor DI Dating Ltd., a UK-based company that owns and maintains 18 separate dating sites worldwide, has claimed responsibility for scamming customers out of hundreds of dollars by advertising fake profiles. JDI accepted a settlement laid out by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for over $600,000 in compensation to its over 12-million customers. The FTC released the following statement to the press, detailing the scam: “The defendants (JDI) offered a free plan that allowed users to set up a profile with personal information and photos. As soon as a new user set up a free profile, he or she began to receive messages that appeared to be from other members living nearby, expressing romantic interest, or a desire to meet. However, users were unable to respond to these ? messages without upgrading toa : paid membership. Membership : plans cost from $10- to $30 per : month, with subscriptions : generally ranging from one : to12 months. The messages : were almost always from fake, : computer-generated profiles— : ‘Virtual Cupids’ (represented : by asmall symbol on the profile : that was not explained to the : website's human users) — : created by the defendants, : with photos and information : designed to closely mimic the : profiles of real people.” : After customers upgraded : their account and discovered : that the “interested” parties : might not be as corporeal as : they had hoped, it became : difficult to stop the company : from billing the card’s account. : Countless customers were then : stuck paying for profiles they no : longer wanted. The full charges : made by the FTC were for : “misrepresenting the source of : the communications from fake news // 5 : profiles and failing to disclose the automatic renewal terms,” as : stated on the FTC’s website. The : settlement not only required JDI : to pay up, but to clearly label : all “fake” profiles from here on : in, as well as re-formatting the : part of their Terms and Services : agreement pertaining to refunds : and cancellations, making it : easier for the average consumer : to understand. This is the first : time the FTC has pursued a : case against a dating site for : unethical practices. Though JDI owns and operates many sites popular : in the US and UK, none of its : incarnations are particularly : popular in Canada. OKCupid. : com is, however, and it did : come under fire in July 2014 : after accusations of data : manipulation were confirmed : by Christian Rudder, the site’s : founder. In an interview with : Audie Cornish, host of All : Things Considered, Rudder : admitted that profiles were : being altered without the user’s : consent in attempt to perform : various social experiments. Douglas awarded for international collaboration » The WFCP recognizes efforts of educational institutions worldwide Angela Espinoza News Editor n October 24, Douglas College was awarded in the category of “international collaboration” at the 2014 Congress of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics (WFCP). Held in Beijing, the ceremony awarded members of the WFECP based on their qualifications of five categories. For the international collaboration award, according to the award guidelines, Douglas College had to show “the increasing significance of global projects and cooperation and demonstrated excellence in : achieving results through innovative international collaboration.” “The award was fora : college or association of : colleges that was actively : involved in international : projects [and] had a good : track record in cooperation : : amongst international : : institutions...” said : Douglas’ manager of : international contracts and : : projects Betty Mitchell. : Amongst other : achievements, Douglas : highlighted itself as “one : of the first colleges in : North America to build : collaborative programs : with institutions in China” : back in 1998 in its pledge : for the award. Douglas also : : demonstrated its numbers : in increased international : staff to better support : international activities : and the 1,500 international : students that study at : Douglas each year, as well : as the numerous field : school trips Douglas offers : every semester. “Three levels of awards : were given out in the : international collaboration : category, and we received : the silver award” said : Mitchell. China’s Tianjin Sino-German Vocational : Technical College was awarded gold in the : category while the British : Columbia Institute of : Technology received : bronze. Ina press release : regarding the award, : Douglas’ vice-president of : international education : and strategic partnerships Guangwei Ouyang said, : “We are honoured to : receive this award from : the [WFCP]. Our focus on : internationalization is part : of what makes Douglas : College such a vibrant : educational institution for : international and domestic : students.” ar | » , t 7. | I ‘ — i\4 edie hte ete eh ey Bee ee 3 Vernon man charged with ‘predatory conduct’ » David Willerth posed as modelling agent to lure children Angela Espinoza News Editor 1 Minews _ @theotherpress.ca QC: November 7, Vernon, BC resident David Willerth was convicted of 18 charges, with 16 counts of communicating via the age of 16. Willerth created a Facebook profile falsely claiming he was a modelling agent. He would use the profile to contact children in an attempt to have them send photos of themselves. Willerth is also being charged with one count of possession of child pornography and one count of arranging a sexual offence against a child. Willerth’s main targets were young girls between the ages of 12 and 16. Willerth was originally : arrested in July 2013, and had : been awaiting trial since. Although the Crown was : seeking a seven-year prison : sentence, and defence was : seeking three years, Willerth : was sentenced to four years : and nine months, with his : time awaiting trial in custody the Internet to lure a child under : counting towards this jail time. Justice Minister Peter Voith : stated in court, “Mr. Willerth’s : conduct was predatory. “He [Willerth] was insistent : and aggressive even after it was : made clear to him by some of : the victims that they didn’t want : any further communication.” According to the Morning : Star, Willerth was previously : known to police for unrelated : charges of impersonation and : criminal harassment.