Dating apps have evolved over the years, but also digressed in many ways, but at the core remains an issue around privacy and what information to display on dating profiles. Online dating oversharing can leave folks vulnerable to scams, blackmail, discrimination and embarrassed as screenshotting on dating apps has been on the rise over the year.
Women and men are cautious of ever about what to display on dating profiles, what to write in messages and what they say on video chats. While this has always been a thing to some degree, things are picking up as founders and execs from highly valued companies are targeted by rivals and investors seeking to purge leadership and put in place trusted replacements. It’s pretty rare but instances like this are worth bringing up as people are unaware of how information can be documented, shared and used against them.
For more tips, trends, reader questions and more, check out my modern dating blog. Helping people navigate the ambiguous and contradicting dating culture from dating apps, matchmakers, meeting people offline, red flags, etiquette and more.
When it comes to online dating, there are many conflicting rules and advice about what to post on dating apps. Some people have no shame, while others are very protective as they are fearful of exes, stalkers and predators.
If you consider apps like Grindr as dating apps instead of ordering apps, then you may notice how forward some men are on apps. They often display their sexual preferences on them. Things can get pretty graphic, pretty quickly.
Other apps like Feeld may be less graphic but still forward in their innuendos as the app ranges in focus from casual encounters, on/off again partners, and steady but open relationships.
But for most dating apps, most information is more PC but can still have a wide range of implications on reputation, safety and more.
Over the years, I have been privy to some of the most private information and insight from singles in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Many folks copy and paste things they see and like from other profiles without considering audiences or how it can come off when paired with other information present on a profile.
Others think things are ok if everyone else is doing it but fail to realize that the bar is so low on dating apps and most people don’t know what they heck they are doing. Etiquette and best practices are elusive as both men and women display information that they normally would not disclose to friends, family, colleagues or neigbhors.
The scenario I often convey to clients is that if they would be mortified about someone they know seeing their profile, they should not post it. Same goes for social media profiles.
There is a lot of information on the internet these days and people’s privacy has take a backseat with the rise of AI tools, advanced internet searches and people being doxxed on sites like Reddit, Tik-Tok, X & Instagram.
With a few pieces of information on dating apps, people can quickly and easily find your address, voter history, civic engagement records and more. Some people don’t care, but others are super cautious and have gone through great lengths to conceal identity, not limited to:
