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Online Dating Safety 101
by: Kyoopid.com
It's safe to say that computers are now universal and have opened up new lines of communication that never existed before. The world has become a global community where we can reach out across cyberspace to touch someone, whether down the hall or in another country, in mere seconds with just a few keystrokes. As remarkable as this is and with all the opportunities that open up, consequences have also inevitably followed. Who really is that person you have just connected with?
Of course, people have been successfully meeting, dating and falling in love over the web for over a decade now. Despite bad press and cautionary media stories of cyber romances gone horribly wrong, the stigma surrounding Internet dating has dwindled. It's not just for geeks anymore or the shameful, closeted secret of losers with no social life.
Now there are kids growing up that never knew the world before Internet, and to them this form of communication is as normal as writing a letter or making a phone call was/is to their parents and grandparents. More and more single women of all ages are very open about having a photo and profile online or about discussing whom they might have met on a dating website.
The dark side to this convenient, increasingly popular form of pursuing relationships is the proliferation of frauds, liars, predators and, yes, sometimes dangerous criminals who can mask their real natures much more easily and for a lot longer in cyberspace than they can in the "real" world. Therefore, no matter how wonderful someone sounds, how cute or sexy that person's photo might be, the utmost caution should be exercised in all communication -and especially when the decision is made to meet face to face. This is true not only of women -men can become victims, too, of being duped or worse.
For those considering online dating, rule number one to staying safe is playing safe from the get-go and maintaining your privacy. If you post a profile or run an online ad, don't EVER publish personal information that includes your full name, home address, home or work phone, direct email address, etc. Beware of interested respondents who ask for this information right off or in early chats. Most reputable online dating services provide a special anonymous third party email account and screen name alias to help protect their customers' identities and personal email addresses.
If you determine that a phone conversation is finally in order between you and that someone you've been e-flirting with, use a cell or pay phone with caller ID. And if/when it's time to meet this potential soul mate and look that person in the eye, do it in a public place at an hour where there are other people around -Starbucks is a tried and true option- but make sure a friend knows where you are and why, and when you can be expected to return.
Make sure you save all the e-conversations you've shared with your cyber-date just in case, God forbid, you find you're confronted with a nightmare, not a dream, and you feel afraid or compromised. If you actually become the victim of harassment or cyberstalking, along with contacting the police, you can also make a report to the online help group, WiredSafety at wiredsafety.org.
By taking these initial precautions and listening to your gut instincts, you're in a better position to relax and enjoy your online dating experience and hopefully meet the love of your life.
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