Dangers of Online Dating: What You Have to Know
Over the past several decades, life has taken on a more virtual form; we use the internet to shop, book trips, find information, get in touch with one another, and perform a myriad of other things. So, it is no wonder that the love life of many people has also become more virtual; it is more popular than ever to find a meaningful relationship on dating sites and dating apps, or just get together with someone for a short period of time.
Unfortunately, dating someone you met online does not come without its faults; there are many cases in which people got more than they bargained for, and not in a good way. So, before you get together with someone you have met online, you should learn a bit more about the dangers of online dating and how to avoid them.
Dangers of Online Dating in 2020
When you decide to go out with someone that you met online, you trust that they were honest with you; while most people are honest about themselves, there are those who pose a threat to others or lie about who they really are. The following are some of the dangers of online dating sites and dating apps that everyone should know about before going on online dates:
Continuous harassment
According to a study conducted by the PEW Research Center, 30% of Americans have said that they use online dating sites and online dating apps. Women under the age of 35 have reported being harassed by someone they have met online, despite making it clear they are no longer interested in pursuing a connection; 60% of females aged 18 to 34 who have used online dating services have been harassed by a person they met online, making harassment a major issue with online dating.
Disruption of "traditional" dating behavior
In the past, people used to meet potential love interests through social circles, get-togethers, and even at weddings of other couples. The rise in popularity of online dating sites and online dating apps has created a disruptive type of dating behavior; people are less likely to try and pursue people they meet in real life. online dating sites and apps have made it easier than ever to meet and switch romantic partners, making it difficult for many to find a real connection.
Scams and false representation
Meeting people in person allows you to get to know them more intimately and find out more about their personality. However, this is not the case with online dating; when you meet someone on a site or an app, you can never be certain if they are honest about themselves. People can provide false information about their marital status, their past, the way they look, and any other details they wish. A false representation of one's self is one of the biggest problems with online dating, but there is a way to avoid it.
How to Deal with the Hidden Dangers of Online Dating?
Trust is one of the most important things in dating, and more often than not, people violate this trust when online dating. To protect yourself from the hidden dangers, read the following tips, and try them out the next time you meet someone online:
Do not give out your phone number immediately – to avoid harassment and people getting their hands on your personal contact information, prefer texting on apps/sites rather than on the phone. You can easily block unwanted individuals on these platforms, but when you give out your personal phone number, people can find more details about you and harass you on different platforms.
Perform a people search on people you talk to – if you want to find out if someone is lying to you about their age, their marital status, their physical appearance, criminal history, and other details, run a people search on the people that you talk to on online dating apps. To get to the bottom of the truth, use the directories available to you on ProPeopleSearch; with this website, you can enter a person's name/phone number/address into the directory of your choice and get access to public records. The search is complete in minutes, and at the end of it, you will have a report that contains data from birth records, marriage records, criminal records, social media, and other resources that will help you know the truth about the people that you meet online.
Be cautious on dates – if you find out that the person that you are considering dating is honest about themselves and that you want to meet them in person, congratulations! You can level up to actually meeting them. When you do, make sure you meet in a well-lit place, somewhere with people around, and get yourself from your home and back instead of your date driving you.
You can never be too careful in a world where people are fast and loose about the unwritten rules of dating; it is up to you to protect yourself from the dangers of online dating and not fall for whatever you are told. If you get lucky, you will meet someone you can build a relationship with. If not, at least you will have a dating story and you will be free to find the next big thing.
