Online Dating Safety Tips for Gay Men

Online dating can be a convenient and fabulous way to meet new people and possible find the person you will share the rest of your life with. Since you can view thousands of profiled singles in your area without leaving your home or office, it can be a real time saver! It also means you can get to know people on your own terms and in your own time.

But not everything in online dating is rosy all the time. Because the initial matchmaking is all online there really isn’t any way to determine if who you are chatting with and sharing intimate details with is who they are telling you they are. There are definite risks and possible dangers in the online dating world even for men.

To stay safe and ensure that the dating experience is enjoyable here are a few online safety dating tips for gay men.

Meeting new people is fun and you will likely be anxious once you find someone you find appealing to meet them and talk further. It is easy to get lost in the excitement but try to refrain from rushing a first in person meeting. Taking the time to get to know the person on the other end of your monitor is important. We don’t like to believe that people are dishonest or lie about whom or what they are, do and look like, but the harsh reality is, many do. So, pace your online chats and emails. Ask relevant and even challenging questions that will help you decide if they are being truthful or possibly have something to hide. There is no set time limit as to when you should meet; just be sure that you are comfortable with where the conversations have gone so far and are ready for a face to face meeting.

When dating online take great measures to keep all your personal information secure. It is natural once you get to know someone better to open up and share personal or private stories and that is okay. But, keep information regarding your identity to yourself. Things like your birth date, address, phone number and social security number should never, ever be shared with someone you have met online.

Perhaps a romantic escapade is something you are looking forward to for your first date. There are safe activities that can be planned and that are romantic, but plan to meet in a public place with a decent amount of people around. A nice dinner and dancing or going to an amusement park are great first date ideas. Stay away from secluded areas though. While a romantic stroll or dinner at someone’s house sounds nice, they are not safe options for the first few meetings. Should something go amiss it is best to be in a public place where help is nearby. It is also essential that wherever you end up you have an escape route planned. Try to situate yourself near an exit or at the very least know where they are.

Itineraries are generally used when planning vacations however they are a great safety tool when dating online. So once the time comes that you have made your initial meeting plans, write them down and leave a copy in your own home and give a copy to a friend or relative. The fact that others know where you will be and what time may seem silly or being too precautious, but should something happen people will know where to look for you.

Printing or emailing a picture of your date along with a detailed description is another resourceful tip to stay safe when dating online. And request that your potential date sends you pictures that are not found on his profile. Full body shots are the best since they verify things like height and weight that headshots don’t. Try to get several with different backgrounds and times of day. It’s easy to steal one or two of other’s photos online, but multiple photos at different times of the day or while doing different activities is much harder! Plus you will have verifiable photos to have for your record and to give along with your date details to a friend or loved one.

Although your gut instincts can’t guarantee your safety, they are an innate tool that we are given to help us assess people and situations. Those sinking feelings you get in your stomach or skipped heartbeat are sure bodily signs that something is amiss. People can’t help but talk and the more comfortable they become with someone the more they divulge, sometimes unconsciously. Listen to your guy. If anything he says seems a little “off” or worse, contradicts something he said before, your radar should be up and you should remain guarded. And don’t be afraid to call him on it. It may be harmless; but it may be a clue that his intentions are less than honest. When it comes to your safety there is no such thing as being too safe or too paranoid.