When you are using a dating app, you might be tempted to share a good amount of information about yourself so you can attract the right matches. But because there are some risks that come with using a dating app – e.g. there are some scammers that use those types of apps to find victims – you should take steps to protect your privacy. Continue reading for a short list of tips that are easy to implement.
Be Careful About Oversharing
First off, make it a point to only showcase general details about yourself on your dating profile. Things like where you currently live and work or go to school might be too private to disclose to a lot of strangers you have never met before.
When posting photos, consider using those that don’t let people know where the photo was taken. In other words, if the location where a photo was taken is obvious, and you go to that location often, use another photo instead. That way, people who view your profile won’t be able to figure out where you spend a lot of time.
Even when you are talking to a match to get to know them better, keep your personal and private details to yourself until you are sure that they are trustworthy.
Linking to Your Social Media?
According to Lifehacker, another way to maintain your privacy on a dating app is by using caution if you decide to sync your dating app to your social media accounts. Always check any information that is pulled in from social media pages, and edit or remove content, as needed. That way, private details like where you work and live won’t be displayed on your dating profile.
Also, go through your social media accounts to ensure your profiles are set to private. Make sure no one except your current connections will be able to view your profile. And consider using different photos on your dating app than those that you use on social media. Doing so may help make it harder for someone to find more information about you through an image search on Google.
Remove Your Information from People Search Websites
As mentioned above, it is best to take your time and really get to know someone on a dating app before you disclose personal details about yourself to them. But, in addition to that, you can also take other steps to protect yourself. For instance, opting out of Nuwber and similar people search websites can be a good way to prevent matches from using your full name to search for more information, like your contact details. So, visit people search websites that are currently displaying your details, and ask them to remove listings that are related to you.
Go Through the Dating App’s Settings
No matter which dating app you choose to use, take some time to go through the app’s settings with care before you start actively utilizing it. Make sure the app is unable to do things like track where you are, share your location or other details about you, or store data that you don’t want it to keep. Turn off any settings that make you feel uncomfortable or that feel like an invasion of privacy.
