Online Dating 101

• Relationships that begin online are nearly 30% more likely to break down than ones where couples met face-to-face first.
• 20% of committed relationships began online.
• Marriages from online couples are three times as likely to end in divorce.
• 17% of couples that were married in the last year met on a dating website. 

Many persons swipe through photos looking for the perfect mate often dismissing someone more quickly than they would have had they first met the person face-to-face. Online dating can make you picky and judgmental.

• If an app doesn’t show the safety guidelines on the sign-up page or if they are particularly hard to find, you may want to find a different app.
• If there are no reporting or blocking features, then move on to the next app.
• Most apps have a free version that still allows you to meet new people. Try multiple apps and don’t get the paid membership before you know if you like the app or if it will be useful. 

• Check if you can control the visibility of your profile. More control means better matches and better protection for your information.
• Avoid sites and apps that allow messaging prior to matching. This way, you can decrease unwanted messages.
• It’s a bad idea to have an app that allows strangers to pinpoint where you are or find your neighborhood.

• In most dating apps you can share data from your social media profiles, but beware of what you share. Your pictures and geographic information may allow others to harass you.
• Use a photo you have not used elsewhere otherwise, someone can find things about you associated with the image, like your social media profiles.
• Keep the personal details in your profile to a minimum so you can prevent bad people from abusing you.
• Tighten the security on your social media accounts to increase protection.

• For the first few dates, keep your messaging inside the app. Inconvenient, but if it doesn’t work out they won’t have your contact data.
• Instead of giving out your cell number, consider getting a Google phone number and forwarding it to your phone. 

• Arrange to meet in a public place and provide your own transportation.
• Let a friend know where you will be and when you will be home.
• During the date, stay aware and alert. Don’t leave your drink unattended and keep the first few dates short.
• If your date is making you uncomfortable or scared, enlist the help of a friend in leaving the situation.
• Don’t worry about being rude to escape a suspicious situation, your safety comes first.