Dating Online Articles excerpt: 'For better or for worse, the Internet is radically changing the dating scene in America' U.S.News & World Report
Dating Online Article 4: Internet Dating, staying safe and having fun
Every year more and more people turn to dating online services for both casual and serious relationships.
No matter what kind of relationship you're looking for you'll find it on the Internet. But you could expose yourself to risk if you proceed without caution.
Some dating service such as Match.com, Friend Finders, Metrodate, eHarmony, have safety precaution built into their service. Espresso Dates (Bean Date} sets up half hour first meetings at local coffee houses. Of course they won't come and pull you out should you want to stay longer, but going in both of you know the first date has been set up to be a short one.
Services like Military, Pet Owner Singles, Equestrian Singles, Single Parents, are a great way to meet like-minded people. But, even though most members of these specialty dating service are exactly who they say they are, don't take it for granted. Take the precautions recommended in this Dating Online Article:
Remain
Anonymous:
Don't
give anyone online your real e.mail address, last name,
phone number, address or place of work during your early
correspondence. Stop communicating with anyone who tries
to pressure you into giving this information.
Unless you're joining Match.com, Metrodate, or eHarmony you'll need to get your own e.mail redirection services. All 5 listed below are free.
- Email4Life-
free email forwarding and free pop3.
- Hotmail-
free web-based e.mail.
- MailZone-
free internet e-mail service
- NetAddress-
lifetime e-mail address and free e-mail
- RocketMail-
free Web-based, globally accessible email service.
Nicknames:
In chat rooms, discussion groups
and on message boards, you may get a lot of attention using nicknames like 'Pretty Woman' 'Sexy man' but it may not be the kind of attention you really want. Try including your interest or hobby in your name ie: 'booklady' 'techiedude' etc. you get the idea.
Trust Your Intuition!
It's your own built-in barometer. If your online correspondent doesn't answer questions directly, or omits essential information, trust your better instincts and move on. Remember that if you suspect someone is lying to you, then they probably are.
Meeting in Person:
Don't allow yourself to be pressured into meeting anyone. If they threaten to terminate online correspondence if you don't meet them within a certain time frame, end your online connection. Nice people don't make threats or put pressure on people they care about.
When you do decide to meet someone whose company you enjoy online, meet in a public place and bring your friends. Your online buddy will understand and accomodate your wishes if they are honest about their intentions. Don't agree to hiking dates or meetings in remote areas until you know someone very well. Plan a short initial meeting.
Keep the date light-hearted and fun and leave as originally scheduled. Answer honestly if asked whether you'd like to get together again. Tell your friends and family where you are going, with whom, and arrange to check in with them at a specified time during the date and again when you arrive home.
If you travel to meet, make your own hotel and car reservations and don't give out the name of your hotel. Drive yourself to the hotel, or take a taxi.
Getting out of Trouble:
If you start feeling unsure or uncomfortable about your date, politely extricate yourself from the situation. Excuse yourself and leave by the back door if necessary. Do not hesitate to ask for help from persons nearby, or the police if you feel the situation warrants. Again, trust your instincts and don't be afraid of potential embarrassment. A little embarrassment won't hurt you as much as getting into trouble because you didn't trust what your intuition was trying to tell you.
Follow all of the these recommendations and you will feel safe and enjoy your Dating Online experience! ! And don't forget to check back as we add more Dating Online Articles, review more services, and add a forum where we can all get together to share our stories, ask questions etc..
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