Match.com made the decision to screen after a California woman filed a lawsuit last week against the company, claiming a man she met on the dating site . The suit says the alleged attack could have been prevented if Match.com had checked users' names against public sex offender registries, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Match.com chose to start screening members after spending a few days consulting with its advisors.

"We've been advised that a combination of improved technology and an improved database now enables a sufficient degree of accuracy to move forward with this initiative, despite its continued imperfection," Ginsberg told AP.

False Security?

Match.com's member screenings may be a good first step to improving the safety of online dating, but they also run the risk of giving singles a false sense of security. And it's unclear whether the site will screen existing members as well.