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Over the past five months, Matthew Herrick says that 1,100 men have showed up at his home and workplace expecting to have sex with him. Herrick is suing Grindr, the popular dating app for gay and bisexual men, because of it.

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Over the past five months, Matthew Herrick says that 1,100 men have showed up at his home and workplace expecting to have sex with him. Herrick is suing Grindr, the popular dating app for gay and bisexual men, because of it.

According to the complaint, Herrick, 32, is the victim of an elaborate revenge scheme that's playing out on Grindr's platform. An ex-boyfriend of Herrick's, who he says he met on Grindr, has allegedly been creating fake accounts since October 2016. The accounts have Herrick's photos and personal details, including some falsehoods like a claim that that he's HIV positive.

The ex allegedly invites men to Herrick's apartment and the restaurant where he works. Sometimes as many as 16 strangers each day will show up looking for Herrick. In some instances, they are told not to be dissuaded if Herrick is resistant at first, "as part of an agreed upon rape fantasy or role play."

The case raises important questions in the social media age about impersonation, stalking and harassment.

"What are Grindr's legal responsibilities," asks Aaron Mackey, a Frank Stanton legal fellow at the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "And what are its corporate and ethical responsibilities to its users when it learns that its platform is being abused in this way?"

Mackey said the answers have big implications.

As with many complaints against tech platforms, Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act is at play in the Grindr case. It's a unique legal protection that gives a broad layer of immunity to online companies from being held liable for user-generated content. Companies are supposed to act in good faith to protect users.

Related: Sextortion is scarily common

In 2015, Grindr used the CDA to prevail in another case. It was found not liable in a suit filed by a man who was arrested for a sexual encounter with a minor he met on the app.

But in Herrick's case, attorneys Carrie Goldberg and Tor Ekeland are relying on different laws. They're alleging product liability, fraud and deceptive business practices, according to an amended complaint filed on March 31.

"Much of our work is about finding the cracks and holes in [Section] 230," said Goldberg, who is known for taking on sexual privacy and revenge porn cases. "Companies don't deserve special protections when their product is dangerous and [Section] 230 doesn't give them protection in such cases."

Originally filed in a New York state court in January, the case was moved to federal court at Grindr's request in February.

According to the complaint, there have been more than 100 reports flagging the fake profiles in Grindr's app, resulting in only generic replies from Grindr ("Thank you for your report.").

Grindr's terms of service state that impersonation accounts aren't permitted, but it's unclear whether Grindr is capable of cracking down on the accounts. A March email from Grindr's counsel said the company cannot search for photographs, according to the complaint. "Grindr claims it cannot control who uses its product and that it lacks the basic software capabilities used by its competitors and the social media industry," it reads.

According to Matthew Zeiler, founder of image recognition startup Clarifai, there are multiple ways for companies to identify specific images on their platforms, and third party providers can help implement these capabilities.

Processes known as image hashing or visual search can detect near duplicate images from being posted on their platforms.

In a statement, Grindr said it's "committed to creating a safe environment through a system of digital and human screening tools, while also encouraging users to report suspicious and threatening activities. While we are constantly improving upon this process, it is important to remember that Grindr is an open platform. Grindr cooperates with law enforcement on a regular basis and does not condone abusive or violent behavior."

Grindr and its attorneys declined to comment further, citing the active litigation.

Last week, Facebook announced new measures to combat the spread of "revenge porn" on its platform. It said it would apply photo-matching to ensure intimate, non-consensual images that have been reported aren't able to be re-uploaded through Facebook's properties, including Messenger and Instagram.

The original complaint against Grindr said that hookup app Scruff, which Herrick's ex was also allegedly using to create fake profiles, was able to remove profiles and ban IP addresses.

CNNTech contacted the ex-boyfriend for comment. He denied setting up fake accounts but declined to comment further.

Related: Can a prenup for sex tapes keep you safe?

Neville Johnson of Johnson & Johnson, LLP told CNNTech that there needs to be a law that criminalizes impersonation and protects victims online.

"Legislation has not kept up with the advancement of technology," he said. "[Companies] can identify and stop this kind of stuff -- they just don't want to take on the obligation."

Attorney David Gingras, who frequently defends companies from lawsuits under Section 230, said these types of cases will likely increase.

"There is currently a war between online speech providers and people who are unhappy with that speech. It just seems like it is getting busier. People do the worst things online and it sucks -- but that's not the issue. The issue is who to blame for it."

A lot of cases never make it to court, according to one source who told CNNTech that companies end up striking deals to take down posts, in order to avoid drawn-out legal fees.

Goldberg doesn't plan to back down; she's already planning her next move: pushing Google and Apple to remove Grindr from their app store

"If a court won't hold Grindr responsible for having a dangerous product ... we'd need to examine the liability of the 'sellers' that are making available a dangerous product," she told CNNTech. "This lawsuit puts them on notice that a dangerous product, one purportedly not controllable by its manufacturer, is being downloaded from their marketplaces."

Goldberg likened it to a car battery exploding in a person's face.

"If the manufacturer and seller both know the battery could explode, there's a duty to inform users of the risk," she said. "Not to mention a duty to evaluate whether the product is so dangerous it should be removed from the market altogether."

CNNMoney (New York) First published April 14, 2017: 1:02 PM ET

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1,100 strangers showed up at his home for sex. He blames Grindr

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According to the complaint, Herrick, 32, is the victim of an elaborate revenge scheme that's playing out on Grindr's platform. An ex-boyfriend of Herrick's, who he says he met on Grindr, has allegedly been creating fake accounts since October 2016. The accounts have Herrick's photos and personal details, including some falsehoods like a claim that that he's HIV positive.

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A Cheatham County, Tennessee woman is sharing her scary experience after waking up to find a snake in her bed on Friday.

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A Cheatham County, Tennessee woman is sharing her scary experience after waking up to find a snake in her bed on Friday.

Christine Humphries says she "knew something was not right" when she woke up from her second floor loft bedroom and felt something moving on her arm. "It felt like skin on skin," Christine says.

Here is the picture of the snake Cheatham County deputies removed from the room of Christine Humphries early Friday morning. @NC5 pic.twitter.com/JyrxnkUS3c
- Matthew Torres (@NC5_MTorres) March 12, 2017

At first, she thought it was her cat, but she quickly realized it was a chicken snake. Humphries says at first she froze, raising her head off the pillow. Just like her, Christine says the snake "raised it's head and started coiling into a defensive position."

Christine jumped out of the bed and ran to her daughter's room yelling for help. They called the Cheatham County Sheriff's Office and three deputies responded to her Leatherwood Road home. Christine says at first, the deputies couldn't find the snake in the room. "I told them you're stuck here till you find that thing," Christine says.

Yikes! Cheatham County deputies came to the rescue after this woman woke up to a snake slithering on her arm. @NC5 pic.twitter.com/lQU9GXECTR
- Matthew Torres (@NC5_MTorres) March 11, 2017

One of the deputies moved the bed, finding the snake against the wall where it had retreated. Christine says the deputy (pictured) grabbed it and took it downstairs before ultimately releasing it in the woods.

Christine says she sees snakes on her 12 acre property all the time and they normally don't bother her.
Click here for more from Fox 17 Nashville.

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Tennessee woman wakes up to find snake in her bed

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A Cheatham County, Tennessee woman is sharing her scary experience after waking up to find a snake in her bed on Friday. Christine Humphries says she "knew something was not right" when she woke up from her second floor loft bedroom and felt something moving on her arm.

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Curtis Ayers, who pleaded guilty to killing KCK Detective Brad Lancaster, sentenced to life in prison

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FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The man who pleaded guilty to killing Kansas City, Kan., Police Department detective Brad Lancaster was sentenced to life in prison without parole Tuesday.

Many say justice has been served in this case.

"In the end he has to answer to God," said Carolynn Lancaster, the detective's mother, following the sentencing. "That's the judge for him, in my opinion. Karma can be a bear. He's got to deal with it. He's got to be the one to sleep at night, knowing what he's done and how many lives he's affected. He's affected so many lives."

Judge Bill Klapper threw the book at Curtis Ayers, adding on more than 41 years to his life sentence for nine other felonies connected to Ayers' crime spree.

Klapper told Ayers there was no appropriate punishment for his crimes. The judge told him: "Many think you should have received the death penalty."

Curtis Ayers pleaded guilty in January to shooting and killing the detective outside a KCK casino last May.

Ayers shot and killed Detective Brad Lancaster outside the Hollywood Casino last May.

Lancaster's family agreed with a decision not to seek the death penalty in exchange for Ayers' guilty pleas.

Still, the detective's mother said afterwards that she hopes Ayers will suffer behind bars.

"I hope he has to stop and think about everything that he's done," Carolynn Lancaster said. "What a good person he's hurt. He's put such a whole void in our lives. We are struggling hard to get through this. I'm just doing the best we can."

Prosecutors say Ayers shot Brad Lancaster seven times before getting away in his police car. He carjacked two other drivers before police tracked him down in Kansas City, Mo., and shot him.

Ayers already was a convicted criminal, out on parole at the time of Lancaster's shooting.

The Wyandotte County District Attorney says he wants the community to know that if you take a life, he will seek to take you off the streets for as long as possible. And that's pretty much the sentence he got for Ayers.

The 39-year-old detective was with KCK for 10 years, before that he was with the Platte County sheriff's office for 10 years.

He grew up in Weston, Mo., and graduated from West Platte High School. He later served in the U.S. Air Force.

Hear from Lancaster's mother below:

Following Ayers' sentencing, the Wyandotte County District Attorney's Office and Kansas City, Kan., Police Department held a joint news conference to explain the sentencing. You can watch the full news conference below.

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Curtis Ayers, who pleaded guilty to killing KCK Detective Brad Lancaster, sentenced to life in prison

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- The man who pleaded guilty to killing Kansas City, Kan., Police Department detective Brad Lancaster was sentenced to life in prison without parole Tuesday. Many say justice has been served in this case. "In the end he has to answer to God," said Carolynn Lancaster, the detective's mother, following the sentencing.

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Snow, sleet pound into East Coast; nearly 5,900 flights grounded

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A late-season nor'easter lashed the region Tuesday with sleet and more than two feet of snow in some places, paralyzing much of the Washington-to-Boston corridor and grounding more than 5,900 flights.

The sloppy storm with high winds knocked out power to more than 100,000 customers from Virginia to Pennsylvania, closed schools in cities big and small and prompted warnings from officials to stay off the roads.

Philadelphia and New York City escaped the brunt of the snow, getting just a few inches and not the foot or more forecasters had expected before the storm switched over mostly to sleet.
SLIDESHOW: POWERFUL NOR'EASTER POUNDS REGION WITH HEAVY SNOW, SLEET AND RAIN
But residents farther inland were getting clobbered with snow.

"The winters seem to be upside down now. January and February are nice and then March and April seem to be more wintry than they were in the past," he said Bob Clifford, who ventured out on an early morning grocery run for his family in Altamont, near Albany, New York.

While people mostly heeded dire warnings to stay home and off the roads, police said a 16-year-old girl was killed when she lost control of her car on a snowy road and hit a tree in Gilford, New Hampshire.

In Narragansett, Rhode Island, high winds knocked down a state-owned wind turbine. In New York City, two homes under construction collapsed near the waterfront in Far Rockaway. No injuries were reported.

And two ponies broke free from their stables and roamed the snow-covered streets of Staten Island until an off-duty police officer noticed them. Employing straps normally used to tow cars, he wrangled the animals and tied them to a lamppost. They were taken back to the stables.

"We want to thank our cowboy officer," Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

Inland areas got hit hard by the storm. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Worcester, Massachusetts, received a foot or more of snow. The Binghamton, New York, area was hit with over 2 feet, while Vernon, New Jersey, got at least 19 inches.

The flight cancellations included more than 3,300 in the New York City area alone, where hundreds passengers were stranded at Kennedy Airport. Amtrak canceled or modified service up and down the Northeast Corridor.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said aboveground subway service and some Metro-North commuter rail service shut down by the snowstorm hitting the East Coast will be restored by 6 p.m. ET. Full service will resume Wednesday for the morning commute.

Laura and Matthew Balderstone of West Yorkshire, England, intended to spend their honeymoon in Florida but found themselves stuck at the Newark, New Jersey, airport and couldn't find a hotel room.

"It's better safe than sorry, especially flying. I suppose it's a shame that we can't get another way around this. It's just the way it is, unfortunately," Matthew Balderstone told the Associated Press.

Broadway producers in New York City have decided to keep theaters open Tuesday night for the hardy folks willing to brave the snow and sleet.

More than two dozen shows will play as scheduled, including "Hamilton," ''Dear Evan Hansen" and "Waitress."

Charlotte St. Martin, president of The Broadway League, says that for visitors who can't get home, it's a great time to see a show.

In the nation's capital, the federal government announced a three-hour delayed arrival for non-emergency employees, with an option to take the day off or telecommute. Emergency employees were told to report on time unless otherwise directed.

"Good day to make brownies ... and or read a book," said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy of Connecticut, which was expecting up to 2 feet of snow in some areas.

In Massachusetts, where the forecast called for 12 to 18 inches of snow, Gov. Charlie Baker encouraged motorists to stay off the roads and to take public transit only if absolutely necessary, saying the fast snowfall rates would make driving hazardous.

Schools in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and elsewhere closed.

Parts of Atlantic City and other towns in southern New Jersey dealt with tidal flooding from the nor'easter.

Up to he second step already ! Getting deep #ArizonaAve #AtlanticCity @_Hetrick @Route_40 @JSHurricaneNews @ACPlanningDept @ACPressSkeldon pic.twitter.com/xroagLpjUG
- City Of Atlantic (@CityOfAtlantic) March 14, 2017

A homeowner posted video on Twitter of water streaming down the block, and one major roadway was closed because of the flooding.

In New Hampshire, the storm disrupted some local elections when voters in more than 100 communities elect boards of selectman, library trustees and other local positions.

A number of towns rescheduled their elections, but others have stayed open, on schedule.

In the nation's capital, non-essential federal employees were given the option of reporting three hours late, taking the day off or working from home. The city got less than 2 inches of snow.

A few days ago, workers on Washington's National Mall were making plans to turn on the fountains.

"Obviously all that has to come to an abrupt stop until we get all the snow cleared," Jeff Gowen, the acting facility manager for the National Mall and Memorial Parks told the Associated Press. "The cherry blossoms, they're right on the cusp of going into bloom here. I had a feeling this was going to happen."

In Illinois, state police said snowy weather caused two crashes on a Chicago expressway that involved a total of 34 cars. Seven people suffered minor injuries.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Snow, sleet pound into East Coast; thousands of flights grounded

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A late-season nor'easter lashed the region Tuesday with sleet and more than two feet of snow in some places, paralyzing much of the Washington-to-Boston corridor and grounding more than 5,900 flights. The sloppy storm with high winds knocked out power to more than 100,000 customers from Virginia to Pennsylvania, closed schools in cities big and small and prompted warnings from officials to stay off the roads.

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its snowing today !!

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Royals right-fielder Paulo Orlando welcomes new son to the world. The Kansas City Royals tweeted a photo Monday of Orlando and his son Derek Alexandre, who was wearing an adorable baseball hat.

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if you could create a digital version of yourself to stick around long after you've died, would you want to?

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Happy Pi Day

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Betsy DeVos wants children with special needs to no longer seek help.

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Jai Bullock an oil tanker has been hijacked off the coast of somaila

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Jai Bullock an oil tanker has been hijacked off the coast of somaila

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researchers decode the mona lisa's smile

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jet skiers stuck in cruise ships path

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Today is Steph Curry's birthday he is 29

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The Spurs are now tied with the Warriors for the top spot in the west

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Two weeks ago, a British-owned cruise ship accidentally ran aground in one of Indonesia's most pristine coral reefs, causing extensive damage. For local people, who rely on dive tourism, it is a sad and worrying time.

"I was born here, I was in tears when I saw this damage," said Ruben Sauyai.

"The damage is huge and acute. It could take 10 to 100 years to repair it."

A professional diving instructor, Mr Sauyai, 30, runs a home stay and dive centre on Raja Ampat, a remote and idyllic island chain in the west of Indonesia's Papua province.

"Some people work as fishermen or farmers, but mostly we work in the tourism sector," said Mr Sauyai, who started up his dive centre six years ago.

Tens of thousands of people have been to visit the underwater beauty of the area in recent years.

But on 4 March, the 4,290-tonne Caledonian Sky, owned by British company Noble Caledonia, was completing a bird-watching tourism trip on Waigeo Island when it veered slightly off course.

It ran aground during low tide, smashing through the coral reefs.

An early official evaluation last week said the incident had damaged approximately 1,600 sq m of coral in one of the world's most beautiful reefs.

Videos recorded by various divers show that the reefs had been eroded by the hull, leaving large bleached scratches.

It was an "unfortunate" incident, said Noble Caledonia, adding that they were "firmly committed to protection of the environment" and fully backed an investigation.

Ricardo Tapilatu, head of the Research Center for Pacific Marine Resources at the University of Papua is part of the official evaluation team.

He said the ship had been caught in low tide despite being equipped with GPS and radar instruments.

"A tugboat from Sorong city was deployed to help refloat the cruise ship, which is something that shouldn't have happened because it damaged the reef even more," Mr Tapilatu told environmental news site Mongabay. "They should have waited for high tide" to refloat the vessel.
You may also like: Great Barrier Reef suffered worst bleaching on record in 2016, report finds Amazon Reef: First images of new coral system Coral reefs: The ocean's larder
He believes that given the area's reputation - and the fact that it's a national park - the company should pay $1.28m-$1.92m in compensation.

The incident has not only angered local people but also social media users in Indonesia.

"This is unacceptable! Do they know how long it takes for corals to form? Have you seen the damage?" said one Facebook user, Feby Riani.

"This is Raja Ampat... one of the world's most beautiful coral reefs!"

An online petition has been launched demanding that Noble Caledonia doesn't just give financial compensation but is also present to repair the destruction.

The ship has since been refloated and the company said that based on the inspection "the hull was undamaged and remained intact".

The ship itself "did not take on water, nor was any pollution reported as a result of the grounding", said the company.

But Laura Resti, from Raja Ampat's homestay association, said they were really saddened.

"Coral reefs are the main thing that attracts many tourists here. It is counterproductive for our tourism prospects."

Mr Sauyai said he has avoided taking tourists to that particular spot since the incident because most of the natural life there had "gone".

"We have tried to conserve those coral reefs for a long time, and just within few hours they were gone.

"I am so sad and feel ashamed to take tourists there."

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Anger over UK ship's damage to pristine reef

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Two weeks ago, a British-owned cruise ship accidentally ran aground in one of Indonesia's most pristine coral reefs, causing extensive damage. For local people, who rely on dive tourism, it is a sad and worrying time. "I was born here, I was in tears when I saw this damage," said Ruben Sauyai.

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Eddie Lacy agreed on a 1 year deal with the Seahawks

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More than 30 cars involved in Chicago pileup

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Thai customs seizes 21 rhino horns worth $5 million

weighing almost 50 kilograms (110 pounds)

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In Simpelveld, Netherlands there is a special academy where you can learn to become a butler. The training is a rigorous 10 weeks.

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Learning to serve as a certified butler is both a skill and an art, and the world's most elite butlers come from one place: The International Butler Academy in Simpelveld, Netherlands. Here, students spend 10 weeks in intensive training, living and working in a 135-room mansion where they learn everything from how to drive an armored car to napkin folding.

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Australian man has been charged with rape and assault after he kept a British backpacker while on the road in the state of Queensland and the woman that got captured was rescued Sunday she was 22 years old

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Mr. Kohl- Winter storms blasts Northeastern U.S. Over 5,000 flights cancelled and all schools have been shut down. 3 to 4 inches of snow an hour.

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Mr. Kohl- Winter storms blasts Northeastern U.S. Over 5,000 flights cancelled and all schools have been shut down. 3 to 4 inches of snow an hour.

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What to Expect (and When) With the Nor'easter

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A nor'easter has arrived in the tri-state and is expected to be the biggest storm of the winter season. Storm Team 4 breaks down the timeline and what to expect.