ByJames Thomas Jones
As online dating and social networking continues to grow and becomes more the normal, it increases the chance of your personal details being exposed to people whom you wish it wasn't. What is needed to combat these issues you will no doubt run into is a set of guidelines in order to stay safe while at the same time finding the correct person for you.
Typically you should avoid large free chat rooms, they are usually filled with people who are not serious about dating and are there for other reasons. I suggest you find smaller websites that suit your needs, generally paid dating websites are better as they weed out the one's who are not serious and provide better results.
Once you find a good dating website/chatroom to begin your search, only give out as much information as you feel comfortable with. Be wary of people who ask for details that you wouldn't normally provide to a stranger, because remember you are still talking to people you have never met before. Wait till you make a true connection with someone before giving out details that they could contact you outside of the website.
Be a member of the service for more then just a couple of days and participate until you understand what kind of people visit. You don't want to get involved with people who could take advantage with you. Also it helps to trust your 'gut instinct' when talking to people.
Maintain communication on the dating website or on a dedicated email address until you are 100% sure you want to take it further. Remember once you provide your phone number they can ring anytime and give it out to others so make sure you are ready to make that step.
When finally making the decision to meet, choose a safe location that is comfortable for you and the other person. Typically a public place such as a coffee shop or in a open area with lots of people around, you could even have it in another suburb other then where you live to be extra safe. Other great places to go is a fair, park, or even a festival with lots of people around. No matter where you decide to go, let your friends and family know where you are going and when you should be home.
Should you find yourself matching up with quite a few people online, you could consider setting up a PO Box and what I like to call a throw away email account so just in case you come across someone who doesn't fit the description and isn't what you want you can just change it and not worry about being contacted again.
Safety Online is the first thing to look at when taking the big step into cyberspace and that is even more so when looking for a partner. For more details on dating advice be sure to check us out, And Don't forget to stay safe!
As online dating and social networking continues to grow and becomes more the normal, it increases the chance of your personal details being exposed to people whom you wish it wasn't. What is needed to combat these issues you will no doubt run into is a set of guidelines in order to stay safe while at the same time finding the correct person for you.
Typically you should avoid large free chat rooms, they are usually filled with people who are not serious about dating and are there for other reasons. I suggest you find smaller websites that suit your needs, generally paid dating websites are better as they weed out the one's who are not serious and provide better results.
Once you find a good dating website/chatroom to begin your search, only give out as much information as you feel comfortable with. Be wary of people who ask for details that you wouldn't normally provide to a stranger, because remember you are still talking to people you have never met before. Wait till you make a true connection with someone before giving out details that they could contact you outside of the website.
Be a member of the service for more then just a couple of days and participate until you understand what kind of people visit. You don't want to get involved with people who could take advantage with you. Also it helps to trust your 'gut instinct' when talking to people.
Maintain communication on the dating website or on a dedicated email address until you are 100% sure you want to take it further. Remember once you provide your phone number they can ring anytime and give it out to others so make sure you are ready to make that step.
When finally making the decision to meet, choose a safe location that is comfortable for you and the other person. Typically a public place such as a coffee shop or in a open area with lots of people around, you could even have it in another suburb other then where you live to be extra safe. Other great places to go is a fair, park, or even a festival with lots of people around. No matter where you decide to go, let your friends and family know where you are going and when you should be home.
Should you find yourself matching up with quite a few people online, you could consider setting up a PO Box and what I like to call a throw away email account so just in case you come across someone who doesn't fit the description and isn't what you want you can just change it and not worry about being contacted again.
Safety Online is the first thing to look at when taking the big step into cyberspace and that is even more so when looking for a partner. For more details on dating advice be sure to check us out, And Don't forget to stay safe!
