We all know dating can be a fun and exciting experience. And thanks to the internet, it has never been easier to find a compatible partner. But, just like anything else, online dating can be dangerous. While I would like to believe that most people who create a dating profile are being honest and upfront, people online aren’t always who they say they are. Online dating allows people to get to know each other before going out. Which can cause complacency. People trust that the person they are talking to is how they claim to be. Which unfortunately isn’t always the case. In this article we will go over some basics of online dating safety.

None of the problems with online dating are new. People have been pretending to be someone they are not, at other social venues since the stone age. So, what can you do to protect yourself? Obviously, you can’t polygraph a potential date beforehand. And you can’t just keep the relationship online. At some point, you will want to meet this person. When you do, here is a list of some essential online dating safety tips.

1. Don’t give out personal info.

Don’t give out too much personal information. This should be obvious. Don’t tell someone your home address. If you can avoid it, don’t tell them where you work or go to school either. If you end up going out with someone and they end up being a creep, it’s too easy for them to find you if they have the correct info. I’m not saying you should flat-out lie about these things. Just let them know you would prefer not to say. You can tell them what you do for a living, or what you study. But avoid details that could help them find you.

2. Let someone know.

Let someone know you’re going on a date with someone you met online. Screenshot the person’s profile and give that information to your friend as well. If you can, keep in touch with someone during the date, and always let someone know where you’re going. These things can help law enforcement should things get ugly.

3. Meet in a public place.

Meet someplace neutral and crowded. I’m not saying you have to meet at a club packed with 500 people. Any public place with a decent amount of traffic will do just fine. Avoid areas with unpredictable traffic like parks. Having other people around is generally a deterrent for most types of predators. If they start to get agitated and try to get you to go someplace more secluded, don’t do it! Once you know the person better and are comfortable with them, sure. But you really don’t know the person on the first few dates. Remember, they could be anyone. Being familiar with the location is a huge bonus too. Don’t let your date lure you to somewhere you have never been before. At least not on the first date.

4. Don’t drive your own car.

Take an Uber. This one might seem a bit excessive for most people. But it ties back into number 1. License plates can be used to find where someone lives. And if they see what you drive and know the general area, it can make finding you easy. Predators are really good at information gathering. I also recommend not going straight home after the date. Take an Uber to another public place, like Walmart, before going home. Especially if the date didn’t go well or the person gave you the creeps.

5. Don’t get too drunk.

A big part of online dating safety, or dating safety in general, is trying not to get wasted. If you are going to consume alcohol, avoid getting completely shit-faced. If your date is trying to get you drunk, leave immediately. Alcohol is one of the main tools used by sexual predators to get what they want. A staggering 50% of all sexual assaults involve alcohol. Pay close attention to how much your date is consuming too. One huge red flag is trying to get you drunk but barely drinking themselves.

6. Plan ahead.

Have an exit plan. If the date isn’t going well or you don’t have a good feeling about it, have some kind of pre-determined plan to excuse yourself from it. As a general rule, I’ve found that most people don’t want to upset other people. So even on a really terrible date, they will sit through the whole thing rather than just excusing themselves. If you have a hard time with this. If you’re just not feeling it, having a plan can make cutting the date shorter a lot easier. You can practice in front of the mirror before you go out.

7. Learn self-defense.

Take a self-defense course. This might seem extreme for the topic of online dating. But at the very least, finding a self-defense course on how to use pepper spray or a stun gun and some other basics is a good idea. not just in the dating world either. Creeps don’t just exist online, and you could find yourself in a bad situation anywhere you go. Knowing a little bit of self-defense and carrying the tools to protect yourself is just good advice for living.

8. Pay attention to the profile.

Only date people with verified profiles. I don’t know if all dating apps or platforms offer this feature. But if the one your using has it, you should always ensure your potential dates are verified. While this doesn’t necessarily make it so they can’t feed you a bunch of bullshit, at least you will know they aren’t cat-fishing you. And if you took the advice from number 2 on the list, this could again help law enforcement if an assault does happen.

9. Video chat, first.

Skype before you meet. Insisting on doing some sort of video chat before meeting can help weed out dishonest people. Especially if you skipped number 8 or your dating app doesn’t support it. In addition to seeing if their profile photos match their actual face, you can learn a little bit more about what kind of person they are. 

For the most part, online dating can be safe and fun. But with the number of cases of people being assaulted by a person they met online, it’s a good idea to exercise caution. Not everybody out there is trying to cause harm. You can probably tell that I’m a little paranoid and don’t have a lot of faith in people. But don’t let my paranoia scare you. More often than not, this list will all be precautionary. Remember to always maintain your situational awareness when dating strangers. or anyone else for that matter. Keep an eye on your food and drinks and watch for suspicious social cues. If you know of any other online dating safety tips, contact us on social media.