In the UK it's estimated that online dating sites attract up to 10 million users every month, these sites attract millions of users and have become one of the most preferred means of interacting with people on the internet.
Online dating appears to be the most practical way to date for most people. According to studies roughly 60 percent of participants have a positive experiences with dating platforms. Many people have success finding romantic partners online, whether they're looking for something casual or long term.
It’s apparent that online dating increases the scope of search for those who are single,as singles get the opportunity to interact with millions of users. With offline dating, these same people would not have interacted because they come from all different paths in life, from cities, regions, or countries.
This implies that through online dating, singles can increase their scope of search but despite its popularity, there are risks associated with using these services.
Exposure to People with Wrong Intentions: There are sexual predators on the big wide net that trick people especially women into sweet talk, acting as if they love them but with wrong intentions.
Online Harassment: Social media, chat forums and multiple sites, have services that could put you into a trap of online harassment, there are more chances of people getting explicit pictures, sexual favours and so on when participating in online dating.
How to ensure safety on dating apps:-
Avoid connecting with suspicious profiles. If the person you matched with has no bio, linked social media accounts, and has only posted one picture, it may be a fake account.
Check out your potential date on social media. If you know your match’s name or handles on social media—or better yet if you have mutual friends online—look them up to make sure they aren’t “catfishing” you, using a fake social media account to create their dating profile.
Block and report suspicious users. Block and report users if you feel their profile is suspicious or if they have acted inappropriately toward you. This can often be done anonymously before or after you’ve matched. Asks for financial assistance in any way, often because of a sudden personal crisis.
Examples of user behaviour you may want to report can include:
Requests financial assistance
Requests photographs
Is a minor
Sends harassing or offensive messages
Attempts to threaten or intimidate you in any way
Seems to have created a fake profile
Tries to sell you products or services
Wait to Share Personal Information. Never give someone you haven’t met in person your personal information, including your: social security number, credit card details, bank information, or work or home address. Dating apps and websites will never send you an email asking for your username and password information, so if you receive a request for your login information, delete it and consider reporting.
Don’t Respond to Requests for Financial Help. No matter how convincing and compelling someone’s reason may seem, never respond to a request to send money, especially overseas or via wire transfer. If you do get such a request, report it to the app or site you’re using immediately.
Although there are many pros and cons to online dating, caution must be taken on these apps. Be prepared to take risks by meeting whoever you’ve spoken to online and keep in mind that people may not be who they made out to be over the screen.
Listen To Podcast S3 E12: Internet Dating After Being In A Long Term Relationship
