Whether through special dating apps or private messages on Instagram, WhatsApp, and the like, you can meet new people anytime, anywhere online. Many young people are therefore increasingly pinning their hopes on the internet when it comes to love. However, finding your soulmate online isn’t as easy as it seems at first glance. To avoid taking risks when dating online, you should follow a few safety tips .

Blinded by love? How to keep your perspective when online dating

We’re all largely anonymous online . Of course, many people present themselves on social media and create profiles with pictures and videos, but these representations don’t always reflect the truth. Many things are omitted online to make people look better. It’s similar with online dating. You never know who’s hiding behind a profile or whether they might be lying.

To avoid meeting the wrong people and being lied to when online dating, you can follow a few simple tips that will make communicating with strangers online safer.

The search begins – How to create your profile securely

If you rely on dating apps and platforms to find Mr./Mrs. Right, you can be sure of your security right from the sign-up stage . Many apps require you to choose a nickname . This should, of course, suit you, but not reveal too much about you. Your nickname should not include parts of your name, your location, or your birthday .

When you fill out your online profile, you should also pay attention to your privacy. Don’t reveal too much about yourself – this not only makes online dating safer, but also more exciting for your conversation partner. Furthermore, you should only choose photos of yourself that aren’t too private and don’t reveal too much about you.

Before you get started, it’s worth checking the app’s privacy settings again . Here, you can ensure that the app doesn’t have access to your location , so no one can find you against your will. You should also play it safe here and protect your profile as much as possible using the settings.

Tip: If you’re using Instagram to find love, you should also make sure your profile is secure. You can find tips for this in our blog article ” Using Instagram safely .”

Getting to know someone online – conversation tips for more security

When you first meet someone, you’re probably very nervous. The pictures looked good and not fake, and you liked the information in the profile, so you decided to start a conversation. If someone has messaged you, you should always first take a look at the profile and critically evaluate the information there. If everything fits, you can start the conversation. Here are some things to keep in mind:

• At first, talk as little as possible about your private life. Instead, try to find innocuous but interesting topics of conversation.
• Be sure to have the initial conversation on the app/platform you met through. Don’t give out your phone number until you’re really familiar with each other.
• If texting isn’t enough at some point, you can take a phone call as a next step. You can also do this with a hidden number if you want to be sure. A phone call also lets you find out whether your conversation partner has really been truthful about their age and gender. Talking on the phone is also a great way to spend some time away from screens. Just grab your phone, maybe some headphones, and go for a short walk. This also helps with any nerves before the first conversation.
• Of course, you’d like to meet up in real life at some point. But before you go on your first date with your crush, you should let your parents or friends know exactly when and where you’re meeting. This way, someone knows what’s going on or can even come along (discreetly) and stay in the background. To be on the safe side, choose a public place with plenty of people around (e.g., a cafe) for the first meeting.
• Sending additional photos of yourself privately is becoming increasingly popular in online dating. It’s important not to let yourself be persuaded. If your chat partner pressures you to send pictures (perhaps even revealing ones), that’s a clear warning sign. In that case, you should make your position clear and stay true to yourself. If your partner continues to pressure you, it’s better to break off contact.
• If you’re confident and want to send pictures of yourself, always remember that the internet never forgets anything. Once the pictures are online, they can be copied, screenshotted, or forwarded. So be careful about which pictures you want to send.

Tip: If a conversation becomes uncomfortable, someone is lying to you, or just acting strangely, you can simply block the person you’re talking to. You don’t have to explain yourself beforehand or feel guilty. If you no longer want to be in contact, you can simply cut things off.

It’s perfectly understandable that you want to enjoy the butterflies in your stomach and chat with your crush as much as possible. Still, it’s good if you don’t just sit in front of a screen all day. Sometimes a little distance helps keep your conversations interesting. Therefore, it’s helpful to set fixed time slots for online dating, for example, and then stick to them.

Once you’ve gotten to know your crush well, you can also talk on the phone, for example . It’s also really romantic to write a letter and then photograph or scan it. However, you shouldn’t send it by mail until you’ve met and exchanged addresses.

Too good to be true? – This is how you recognize cybergrooming

Always trust your gut feeling when chatting. If something seems odd in conversations or on profiles, take that hunch seriously.

You can look out for these warning signs when online dating:

• He or she wants to know personal information about you, such as your full name or address, very quickly.
• He or she almost never answers your questions and only wants you to talk about yourself.
• They agree with you on everything and always have the same hobbies or interests as you, so they don’t have to tell you much about themselves.
• They want pictures of you or a video chat, but don’t show themselves or send any pictures.
• He or she advises you not to tell your parents or friends about your contact.
• He or she pressures you to do things you don’t want to do.
• He or she is trying to blackmail you or wants money from you.

All of these are sure red flags. If you notice your chat partner behaving this way, you can act early and break off contact. If you felt very harassed or it turns out that your chat partner was pretending to be someone else, tell someone you trust about the incident. They can help you.