Online Dating Safety Tips: Five Steps To Protect Yourself
As people become busier and busier and they are becoming more and more engaged in a digital world
, relationships are being formed online at an increasing rate.Meeting someone online can be exciting even before you meet for your first face-to-face date. However, even though you've likely done your research, chatted for weeks or months and joined each other's social networks, you still want to be cautious on your first date.
Follow these steps to help make your first date a safe and hopefully enjoyable encounter.
1. Arrange to meet in a public place. Pick one that isn't too close to your home and make sure to provide your own transportation. Don't accept an offer to be picked up at your house. While that may be a respectful offer, it's best to be safe and not rely on your date. Make sure to schedule your date at a public place when other people will be present.
2. Notify your friends and family before, during and after your date. Leave your date's name and telephone number with a friend or roommate. Let him/her know where you will be going. An easy way to update your friends and family is to send them a message through a smartphone app. Apps, like Gabe The Guardian, let you send a text message and email with your GPS location just to check in or even in the event of an emergency. These safety apps are smart tools for protecting yourself, as you and your date may want to go somewhere else after the original meeting point. Carry your cell phone with you at all times and use apps like Gabe The Guardian to keep others informed of your location.
3. Be careful what information you reveal. Your date may ask you simple questions like how far away you live from the meeting location or where you are staying if you are out of town. Until you really get to know the person you do not want to reveal too much.
4. Watch out for red flags. Your first face-to-face meeting will tell you a lot about the other person. Observe how this individual communicates on your date. Does he or she fail to provide direct answers to direct questions? Does this person appear to be significantly different from his or her online persona? Compare how he or she presented him/herself online and in person, and be wary of any inconsistencies.
5. Get out safely. As Michael Monahan, college student and founder of Gabe The Guardian suggests, "Have a plan of action prepared so you can exit swiftly and easily. Observe your location and be familiar with how to leave just in case it's necessary." Hopefully your date goes well but if you notice red flags you may not want to stay long. Don't risk remaining in an uncomfortable situation. Have a friend call you or have an excuse prepared. If you feel unsafe, do not stay. It is always better to ask for help than risk staying in a dangerous situation.
Online dating can be an enjoyable experience, but as you proceed with your first date it is best to be prepared. Your safety is more important than making a good impression. Be smart and observant, and when red flags arise don't waste your time on a second date.
For more information about the safety app Gabe The Guardian, visit GabeTheGuard.comFor more information about the safety app Gabe The Guardian, visit http://www.GabeTheGuard.com
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