How To Stay Safe When Dating Online

Creating an online dating profile is a big decision for anyone seeking a lasting, loving relationship. For many, it represents a moment of bravery and willingness to put themselves out there and try something new for the sake of future happiness.

Or at least, that’s the plan!

But online dating can come with some risks, and staying safe online is essential for protecting your identity, guarding your heart, and preventing unwanted situations.

Green Singles will always do everything it can to safeguard your information and promote healthy, respectful online encounters. However, knowing how to navigate this world independently can protect you and improve your chances of finding your perfect, conscious match.

Tips and Best Practices To Embrace For Safe Online Dating

Safe online dating is not very different from general internet safety. Caution, patience, and a little bit of respectful digging are all good ways to meet that special someone with whom you can share a sustainable lifestyle!

Use these tips to stay safe:

Set a clear intention

Rushing into a potential new pairing when you may not be emotionally ready can lead to hurt feelings and confusion. Before you set up your online dating profile, take the time to think about your intentions.

The time you spend mulling over this decision can be used to determine what kind of person you want to meet, whether certain shared interests are important, and what sort of relationship you want. This will help you avoid awkward, uncomfortable, and unhappy situations.

Do a little background check

Online stalking gets a bad rap, and there are certainly ways to take it too far—but there is nothing wrong with doing a little background check on someone you’re interested in if things are progressing in that direction.

A person’s online presence can tell you a lot about their personality, lifestyle, and values, some of which they won’t always disclose on a dating profile. Take a look at what they share with the public online, review their social media profiles, and see what comes up when you Google them.

Choose your photos wisely

As much as we try not to, we base a lot of our first impressions of people on their photographs and the images they portray. When you’re dating online, the same works both ways. The photos you upload will say a lot about yourself to other people. Consider how you present yourself in uploaded photos and what kind of person they are likely to attract.

But beyond this, remember that photos can be used for identity theft, and some images can give away your location. So, be aware of how much personal information you share when uploading your photos.

Report or block suspicious users

If a person on your dating site behaves suspiciously or inappropriately, don’t be afraid to report or block them. This is exactly why those features exist. Love bombing, photographs that don’t match the personality they’re portraying, and asking extremely personal questions are all red flags.

Even if you are wrong, offering feedback like this to dating sites can help them learn to identify commonly suspicious behavior and remove dangerous or fake profiles from operating.

Have a video chat before meeting in person

Video chats aren’t everyone’s thing, and they’re not mandatory—but they can be an effective way to ensure a person’s profile matches who they are in real life and that you have genuine chemistry before meeting in person.

If someone is reluctant to have a video chat, it may indicate that they're not who they seem, so you should proceed cautiously.

Avoid giving out sensitive information to strangers

You are never obligated to disclose sensitive information to a prospective online date. If someone demands that you send them your location, work address, or other sensitive personal data, you can consider that a red flag.

Sharing risque or overly personal photos with anyone you have just met is also not a good idea. You never know what they may do with them—see the bit about blackmail below!

Don’t respond to requests for financial support

Romance scams have become increasingly common in the last few years. Scammers are trying everything from creating fake profiles to blackmail to cash in on those looking for love online.

If a stranger asks you for money online (no matter where you are on the internet), chances are they’re a scammer.

Sadly, this is true even when you feel you know a person. Requests for financial support often accompany stories about illness, a family trauma, or even a tragedy that may appeal to your empathic side to convince you to act fast. If you receive messages like this, take it as a sign to move in a new direction.

Never tolerate bullying or discrimination

It’s absolutely fine for people to have different values and interests, but as soon as they become hateful or nasty, don’t be afraid to take action. Racism, homophobia, and sexism are never acceptable, and neither is any sort of negative behavior that targets either yourself or a specific group.

Protect yourself from people like this by challenging biased viewpoints (if you feel up to it) and then blocking them. Don't forget to inform the site or app of their behavior and help keep the online dating space safe and comfortable.

Trust your gut

The connection between our gut and brain allows our emotional experiences to register as gastrointestinal distress. This is where our “gut” feelings come from, and they can be completely subconscious.

Sometimes, you might not always have a clear reason why someone feels unsafe. It could just be an underlying sense that something is “off” about them. If you ever experience this feeling, don’t ignore it. Your intuition is usually right!

Trust yourself and walk away. If they persist, hit the block button.

Find Sustainable Love Online

The world of online dating can be difficult to navigate at first. But with a few tips, a little research, and some practice (not to mention a dash of intuition!), you’ll find it much easier to meet your match.

Remember to exercise caution when speaking to someone new, learn how to identify common scam signs, and conduct some research before meeting with someone in person. The right person will understand your need for self-protection.

Good luck meeting your conscious match!