Online Safety

First and foremost, your online dating experience should be a safe one.  Here are some basic tips to ensure you don’t end up a skin suit:

1. NEVER post photos that might give away your identity. I.e. pictures of your car with a visible license plate, your house with the street name or address number visible, logos that might show where you work…
2. Use the service’s communication tools, not your personal email or phone number, until you’ve actually met your date in-person and verified he is not a raving lunatic or future predator of the week.
3. Don’t give out anything personal when communicating online. He may look trustworthy in that picture, but there is no guarantee that picture is actually him. Be aware that some of the more crafty types out there will Bing or Google you. If you're LinkedIn, Facebook, whatever picture matches your dating profile in any way, make those other accounts private to ensure he can't find you. (Tip: use a different picture than what you use on other social media.
4. Don’t post in your profile where you normally hang out. Although most prompt for “favorite places” or “hotspots,” keep it vague. “I like coffee shops” is a lot safer than “I hang at the Starbucks at First and Main every Tuesday before work.”
5. Meet somewhere neutral and public for that first date, preferably for coffee or lunch so you can bail out gracefully if he turns out to be a particularly slimy kind of guy.
6. Never leave your new date alone with your beverage or food, even for a second. If you must leave the table, order a fresh drink when you return and toss the old one.
7. Never get in the car with someone you just met. Duh!
8. Stay sober. Stay dressed.
9. Follow your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right about your date or he makes you uncomfortable in that creepy, stalker boy sort of way, thank him for his time, kindly let him know you’re not into him, and wait for him to leave first. Ask a manager in the restaurant/bar/whatever to walk you to your car if it’s late or your frog won’t leave.