Talk:JDate

Scam

The link to a page discussing the "jdate scam" does not exist. I performed a Google search for "jdate scam" and the only results that came up were wiki-based. I am taking down the picture and any discussion of the alleged scam. If you can verify that a scam existed, please repost it with documentation.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=468175

Does that count as documentation?

Old version

Below is the article before Apeloverage's rewrite. Some of it might be useful for future additions.

JDate, launched in 1997, is an online personals wesite for Jewish singles. It has become the world leader in its niche, with active members in every corner of the globe and hundreds of documented marriages to its credit. JDate has become synonymous with Jewish online dating.

The brand name has become a verb (“I’m JDating this weekend”) and a noun (“I had a great JDate last night”).

JDate.com is a social networking system for single Jewish people, used worldly, but primarily in English. The website is very similar to other online dating websites, but it offers the benefits for any people, specifically those looking to be in a Jewish relationship. The website also offers a real-life identity and location, and lists different interests and what one is looking for in a partner. The website was created in 1997 and has grown rapidly, bringing singles together all across the world. There are over 12,000 registered men and women that are always online and looking to be in a relationship; this website happens to be one of the most heavily used websites for Jewish singles. Anyone who is willing to pay the cheap registration fee, and has some sort of personality factor to put into a profile can register for this website. The site includes students, employees, retirees, and anyone who is single with access to a computer looking for love. The site is financed by the people who are paying to search for companionship, whether it is just one date or a long-term relationship. Users can create personal profiles with pictures, and tons of information about themselves including weight, astrological sign, and annual income. Once a registered user, you can search for people within your zip code, and click on their pictures to flirt or email the person to then set up a date. The viewing is restricted for those that are not registered, but very public to people who are willing to pay the fee.

--Apoc2400 13:15, 24 February 2006 (UTC)

Another attempt

Rewrite based on the JDate website's material, plus a compilation of reviews from www.edatereview.com - which seems like an unbiased forum. --67.169.168.127 04:58, 11 April 2006 (UTC)

I've reverted to 12:18, 8 May 2006 Apeloverage. Subsequent edit appears to be a PR revise. --Barte 19:56, 18 June 2006 (UTC)

Darren Sherman incident

I've removed the paragraph below because the citation is to an anonymous source. I think the story is real, but it needs to be verified from a source better than a blog citing an anonymous email.

"JDate again drew negative attention in July, 2006 when e-mails and blogs started recounting a story of how Jdate member Darren Sherman, a CEO and former SEC official, left a series of voicemail messages to a woman he met on JDate, demanding $50 (her portion of their meal cost) since she did not call him for a second date within 2 and a half weeks of their first date. He threatened legal action, called her employer, and even went so far as to call the restaurant they ate at and dispute his credit card charge. The story included the text of the e-mails plus audio recordings he had left on the woman's voice mail [3]. Jdate revoked Sherman's membership for his conduct." --Barte 22:51, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

It wasn't just based on an anonymous e-mail. China Grill confirmed the story. I've also independently confirmed that Darren Sherman is a real person.--Dr who1975 21:16, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Wikipedia guidelines are quite clear on "citing verifiable, authoritative sources whenever possible, especially on controversial topics." It's not enough to independently confirm a fact You need to cite an authoritative reference:

1. Articles should contain only material that has been published by reputable sources.

2. Editors adding new material to an article should cite a reputable source, or it may be challenged or removed by any editor.

3. The obligation to provide a reputable source lies with the editors wishing to include the material, not on those seeking to remove it.

--Barte 23:56, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

It has been over two years since the Darren Sherman meme, and still no proof has emerged that it wasn't a hoax. snopes.com refers to a very similar chain email that occurred in 2004 using different details, suggesting that the Darren Sherman emails were merely a deliberate re-enactment of a hoax. The Daily News story listed in Reference 8 is from the gossip column, which I would not personally regard as an appropriate source (IMHO, of course). In addition, Dr who1975's comments that he personally verified the story is tough to refute or verify given the lack of additional evidence. Perhaps it's time to remove this story from the article??? Wikipedicure (talk) 00:16, 4 March 2009 (UTC)

How is this even relevant? If Joe introduces Peter to Jane and Peter turns out to be an idiot, would you write this down on Joe's biography? How is this related to Jdate.com? Alessio.aguirre (talk) 02:31, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

I removed it. Let's see if anyone objects. Barte (talk) 05:40, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Price

Everywhere it says that Jdate.com is the most expensive dateing site, should we not write that down? Alessio.aguirre (talk) 02:31, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

If you can find significant coverage of this fact in reliable sources to verify, then feel free to add it. Otherwise, please do not add it. Thank you. --CutOffTies (talk) 02:39, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

How good?

JDate.com is commercial, which should rule out the less-serious people. But how good is this as a mean of finding a serious date?

Another remark. JDate is having a very aggressive advertising campaign in Israel. They are paying the salary of Sarit Perkol, a section editor in the online portal of the leading daily newspaper. Ms. Perkol is apparently trying to maximize hits to her portal section and is using means I never saw before. The portal section main subjects are extra marital affairs, the slutty behaviour of Israeli girls and various intimate items calculated to undermine self-confidence in both sexes. It's strange that a matchmaking website is advertising in a way that may make people stay bachelors but maybe JDate owners decided it's good for business. Apparently Ms. Perkol succeed in getting a lot of responses and a lot of hits. I think we are seeing here a relatively new type of intentionally harmful kind of advertising. You may accuse me of pushing a conspiracy theory but I start thinking that the porno industry emphasis on penis size is calculated to invoke inferiority feelings thus driving men away from real relationships and consuming more porno products. 128.139.226.37 16:02, 21 April 2007 (UTC)

Competitor list

I've removed this yet again; because a list of links to competitors' websites offers no encyclopaedic information about the subject of this article. Perhaps if there was a discussion of JDate's position in the dating marketplace, etc. (appropriately sourced) then this list may have some merit. But on its own, it serves no purpose. Oli Filth 23:37, 6 September 2007 (UTC)

If thats the case what about the entry for Visto and I can find numerous other ones. The list of competitors is very useful information for prospective users of the sites so they can find alternates as well as for investors who want to gauge what the competition is to the site. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 209.208.140.244 (talk) 19:08, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

Seems to me the competition section here had became a catch-all for any and every site claiming to do Jewish matchmaking. But without third-party corroboration, there is no way to know which are legitimate competition and which are fly-by-night. I agree with Oli Filth. Cite a notable source on the topic of Jewish dating websites--a well researched magazine article, for example. That would provide some criteria for external links. To do otherwise amounts to OR (WP:NOR) Barte 21:36, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

I've added it back as without letting readers know that there are other alternatives this page is simply an ad for JDate. I do agree there should also be some discussion as to why these competitors exist and I'll be happy to add that soon as well as swing by and verify the sites that do list themselves as competitors.76.226.144.139 14:41, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

This page is not just an ad for Jdate. It cites both positive and negative aspects of the site, uses third party references, and was vetted by the community (See Afd nomination tag at the top). If you want to discuss competitors, that's fine and useful, but it can't just be your opinion (who are you?) but referenced to a neutral third-party source. Otherwise, this is just unverified original research and the selected links appear to be promotional. Please read WP:NOR and, in particular, WP:linkspam, to see what I mean. Barte 16:15, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

Removed mention of eHarmony

While listing the negative BBB review of JDate is certainly relevant to the article, listing the positive review for a competitor is not. This article is not about all dating services (which would include both JDate and eHarmony, chemistry.com, etc), where it would be relevant to compare services by a neutral third-party source... and by the way, since eHarmony is a member paying the Better Business Bureau to join, and Spark Networks is NOT a member, it is dicey to claim that this is truly a neutral third-party source. Obviously with eHarmony paying a membership fee, BBB-Southland has more at stake with one company than the other.

By comparing JDate unfavorably to a specific competitor, it does give the impression of trying to promote the specific competitor, eHarmony. That makes the summary more biased. I just happened to find this page when someone mentioned problems with JDate, but however bad a company they may end up being, that is no excuse for giving unfair promotional attention to their competitors. 98.194.237.126 (talk) 14:41, 6 May 2008 (UTC)

Cultural signficance--removed section

I removed a paragraph I added here years ago.....when I was new to the project. Looking back, I agree with the template--it's OR--or at least wp:syn. That left one paragraph about a rabbi sponsoring memberships....that hardly sounds like "cultural significance"--so I removed that too. I think in the past, there were items in this section that would have passed for cultural significance--references to JDate in the popular culture. But they've apparently been deleted for other reasons. Barte (talk) 13:14, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

Slanted Article, OR: Overt critique of site, doesn't read as objective

I know absolutely nothing about this site, and came to Wikipedia to find out what it's about. I was surprised to read an article which seems entirely biased and designed to critique the site. There has to be a better way to present this. Perhaps the lead section could define the site and its purpose, and if objective outside sources tend to be harshly critical of the site, then the lead can reference that fact, with a later section detailing the critiques by outside sources. If there is controversy, any outside sources which present positive views should also be presented.

Whose opinions are being presented in this article. While it doesn't use emotionally charged language, it still appears as unsourced original research, presenting a personal critique disguised as "objective" reporting.

The site might absolutely suck, by the way, and I'm not inclined to check it out, but the current presentation of this article takes such a form that it might as well use "JDate is a site that sucks" as its lead. It would be overtly biased an unencyclopedic, but that's fundamentally what he have right now. zadignose (talk) 00:50, 8 August 2012 (UTC)

100% agree. It seems like someone with a bad experience edited the article. 69.250.148.115 (talk) 15:53, 12 November 2012 (UTC)

Lawsuits

Apparently they have gone after other companies in a patent troll fashion, or JSwipe because of the "J" prefix (link) CrocodilesAreForWimps (talk) 03:25, 13 August 2015 (UTC)