The government on Thursday issued an advisory on the functioning of the matrimonial websites, reported IANS. Acting on complaints of fraudulent activities on such websites, submission of true copies any identity proof and address was made compulsory at the time of creating accounts.
Allegations against matrimonial websites being misused as dating platform and obscene pictures posted on them had reached the ministry of information and communication and the ministry of women development.
Acting on these complaints, IT and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad approved the advisory, which will detail out rules to be followed by websites to curtail fraudulent activities on these platforms, a source told PTI.
It noted that "matrimonial websites were intermediary under section 2 of the Information Technology Act and they are mandated to follow IT Act."
The advisory, according to IANS, stated that hosts or service providers of the matrimonial websites should store the IP Address of the profile creator as long the account is in existence and for a period of one year after the deletion of the user account.
Websites, for its part, will have to confirm the "user's intent to enter in to matrimonial alliance" and "confirm that the user information is correct to the best his or her knowledge" during registration, according to the advisory.
Matrimonial websites will also have to monitor for obscenity and state its intention of operating the platform for matrimonial purposes only on the home page. Such websites should also ensure transparency and fairness in data collection and have an objective to identify proof for the purpose of user verification.
As reported by IANS, websites are also entrusted with the responsibility to caution users against crooks and mischief-mongers and encourage its users to report any illicit activity on the platform. It should also host an in-built mechanism to redress grievances as well as have an officer to deal with complaints.
