Seems like everywhere we surf on the Internet nowadays we run
across this little advertisement: 'Free online personals'. They
are everywhere, they are dating sites, and more are opening up
shop every day.
Welcome to the newest internet gold rush. More and more people are
signing up to these new and "free" dating sites. What they are
really getting is a place on the web where they can post their
profile and let strangers contact them.
As more and more dating sites pile up on the web, more people
are ending up with very distasteful experiences because of this.
Why? 99% of today's (and tomorrow's) dating sites do not screen
their members at all. This means there are sex offenders,
predators, scam artists mixed in with genuine people who are
looking to find a match.
Dating services need to be very discretionary and much safer,
until that time comes here are some important things to consider
when thinking about joining a dating site.
1). Examine the site's physical properties. Is it poorly
constructed with missing graphics or jagged fonts, mis-aligned
sections? If so, this indicates a lack of attention to detail in
the construction and layout of the site. It may have been pre
purchased and the owner does not have the skill to alter it
correctly. Why would you care? Well, a site in a state like this
gives a clue that the back end program probably is also in a state
of disarray or disregard. If the webmaster cannot construct the
face of the site, then it is likely they cannot also construct
important safety features behind the site. A hacker then could
easily penetrate it and get your personal information including
your photo. If you eventually pay this site, your credit
information could be stolen as well!
A nicely designed site means careful construction and a better
chance of good quality code running the site in the background.
2). Look at some sample profiles on the site before you sign up
by running a quick search. Do the profiles look a little bogus? A
lot of them are. Many sites (especially new ones that have just
started up) pad their membership database with photos of models or
random (usually good-looking people) to attract new members. Do
the profiles have a lot of jibberish characters or nonsensical
phrases in
the descriptions? That means the dating site you are at does NOT
screen the people who sign up. This welcomes people with
ill-intent. You should get out of there immediately and go to one
that does.
3). Does the site have a privacy link? Look at the bottom of
the site's main page. If they have a privacy link, click it and
examine. Make sure they specifically state that they do NOT sell
your information to anyone. This is an invitation to a spam and
junk-mail nightmare. Also look for some sort of a web site rules
page or a terms of use page. Check to see if they screen their
profiles or somehow disallow racial, hate or overly sexual
material. If they don't state this than, anything goes for this
site, another reason to leave.
4). Does the site have a links page? If so click and examine.
See who they are affiliated with. Usually, there will be graphical
banners or icons next to the names of their associations. Are they
sex-sites? Spam sites? Even a quick glance in this area could tell
you what kind of a dating site you are at.
5). What is the copyright date at the bottom? This could
indicate the age of the site. If it is very young, this could help
you determine if the site has worked out all the kinks (program
bugs) and how many members they have accumulated.
6). Be wary of statements like "You are the 4697th member to
join today." and "Search through millions of profiles." these
statements are usually false. Major sites, which have been running
for YEARS usually can support these statements. look for a "whos
online" link. If you are the only person
(1 guest online means JUST you are there) then you know these
claims are false. A site with millions or even thousands of
members will always have a bunch of people currently online. If
you detect this in a dating site, it is better to leave than to
take a chance with a dishonest site.
This is just a short list of ideas to help keep you safe when
dating online. Be leary, be safe. More information can be found at
www.cupidsblackbook.com.
About the Author:
Leif Croonquist writes for
www.cupidsblackbook.com.
He is 34 years old and lives in Portland, Oregon.
