Times have changed. Dating is no longer as easy as meeting a good match in your own neighborhood. The advent of the internet, however, has brought about a revolution in the dating scene. Once viewed as taboo, online dating has now become a main hub of socialization for singles. In fact, one in every 10 Americans have used an online dating site or mobile app to meet potential mates.
Instead of being restricted to meeting only local singles, coworkers, or friends of friends, the online dater has thousands of potential matches at their fingertips both local and long-distance. There are more than 54 million singles searching for love, and a safe online dating site will bring them right to your fingertips.
One of the draws of online dating is the anonymity that it brings. The newly single dater can create a profile of information about themselves that plays up their strengths and downplays their weaknesses. They are able to reveal only the information that they choose to reveal, which can be a very freeing process and allow them to open up more easily to those that they choose to talk to or meet.
However, there are also drawbacks to this situation. You may find yourself wondering, if people can be whomever they wish to be online, then are dating sites safe? If you are meeting someone for the first time you should always be cautious. A full 64% of surveyed individuals said that having someone with common interests is the most important factor in dating. Yet the most important factor of all is your safety. Make sure you use a safe online dating site and follow some easy tips to ensure you have a positive online dating experience.
Here are three tips for safe dating online:
- Meet in a Public Area
- Do an Online Dating Background Check
- Always Tell a Friend or Family Member Where You Are
Never meet for a first date at someones house. Do not allow them to pick you up for the date or know your address until you are certain they have only the best intentions. Meet your potential match at a coffee shop, a restaurant, a public park, or anywhere else that will have many people around.
This is the most important factor in secure online dating. Even if you and your date have friends in common or live in the same neighborhood, remember that you only know what this person has chosen to tell you about themselves. A background check will disclose anything in their past that they have chosen not to. There are safe online dating sites centered around background check dating; these sites will link you only with singles who have a clean background, saving you time and alleviating the guesswork. Remember that it is your safety on the line. This precaution will allow you peace of mind.
Even if you have checked their background and are meeting in a public area, make sure you tell a friend, family member, or coworker exactly where you are going and when you plan on being home. This will allow them to act quickly and know who you were with if anything should happen. This can be as easy as sending a text to a couple of people or leaving a quick voicemail with the details of your date’s name, how you met, and where you are planning on going.