PROPER dating practices always involve a certain amount of hygiene. Clean clothes, good breath, no body odor, and proper cologne or perfume. Online dating added digital security as another dimension but the pandemic amplified safety and added yet another one–vaccination and COVID-19 protocols.
A recent global survey conducted by Sapio Research, and commissioned by Kaspersky reveals that 42 percent of people who use dating apps prefer to only meet with someone in person who has been vaccinated or possessing a vaccine certificate. The survey also shows that number of people who do not meet any of their dating matches offline has more than doubled (from 16 percent to 35 percent) under the current pandemic conditions.
Though the study did not include the Philippines, and Indonesia was the only other Southeast Asian country surveyed, the findings may be applied globally. Its scope could mirror some nuances of online dating. Particularly the findings on dating and meeting new people in this era of COVID-19.
The same survey also reveals how 39 percent of dating apps users have felt is demeaning and dehumanizing to have an algorithm validate their worth, 15 percent were scammed in some way. Though 64 percent did say that algorithms understood their preferences, thus trusting the choices.
The new standard of app-induced dating now demands seeing a potential date’s vaccination status. An obvious impact of the pandemic–”safety attitude” applies only to new meetings, since there are other equally great concerns than just getting infected. Overall, 50 percent of users feel nervous, while 18 percent feel unsafe when they meet a date in person for the first time.
In order to alleviate some of these worries, 72 percent of online dating site users want to first talk by phone or video with a date before they agree to meet.
“A safe tip until you want to meet someone who is fully vaccinated or has proven antibodies, is to set aside a portion of time with your sex toy and have a secure ‘video’ call with your partner. Ideally, make sure you’re not recognizable in the pictures, and never let yourself be pushed into something that makes you uncomfortable,” Kristy Stahlberg, Head of Corporate Communications at Fun Factory advises. Fun Factory is a German manufacturer of adult pleasure devices.
So in this era of self-isolation and restrictions, paying more attention to health and personal safety also extends to the digital sphere. There are other more equally serious threats to safety, listed in the Kaspersky survey. These include catfishing, scamming, doxing, blackmails, typewritten chat threats, identity theft, transmitting malware and making requests for money for health or family needs, even traveling to meet.
Of these threats, catfishing–when a person pretends to be someone else online, using fake photos, even videos, and false persona to find romantic partners–could be the most dangerous because one person can catfish many partners and mulch them for money, time and emotions while returning false affection.
“With all the stay-at-home policies and restrictions around the world, online dating seems to play a major role in people’s lives today. Still, the transition from “online” to “offline” is a leap of faith for many: there isn’t only the healthcare situation to consider, but also more evergreen risks of meeting with a stranger. In order to continue enjoying online and offline dates in confidence, it’s important to be mindful of the data you share with your potential date – so that if you change your mind about meeting someone, you are always in control of the situation, know how much information you’ve shared about yourself, and how it can be used,” David Jacoby, security researcher at Kaspersky comments.
Apart from using digital solutions, like Kaspersky Security Cloud, to keep offline dating safe and enjoyable therapist Stefan Ruzas from the Munich practice Liebling + Schatz recommends; 1) always meeting in public the first few times, whether it’s at a restaurant, going for a walk or to the movies, 2) give someone you trust all the details of your meeting–the when, where, and who, 3) do not meet near to where you live. This way you cannot be followed, 4) do not share your address straight away, 5) trust instincts, an uneasy feeling about a person is usually a trigger–end the date–as there is no obligation, thus, 6) do not be unnecessarily trusting.
“After all, it is the most human need to meet in person after months of isolation. Humans are social creatures, we need companionship, exchange and closeness, even physical closeness. Sure, dating apps have made it possible to connect with new people during the pandemic. Virtually. A physical encounter is something else entirely. It’s about body language, smell, and touch. Only when these components come together can we really decide how we feel about that person. The pandemic has shaken us. Many things we took for granted pre-pandemic have imploded, the insecurities, especially on the level of physical contact are enormous. That’s why it’s a normal reaction for dating app users to play it safe — by insisting on meeting only those who take their need for security and safety seriously. Because feeling like you’re being taken seriously is an essential aspect of building a successful partnership,” comments therapist Birgitt Hí¶lzel from the Munich practice Liebling + Schatz.
Here are a few simple tips Kaspersky recommends, to help you keep your personal data private while dating online:
Share photos that don’t give away information such as your address or employer, for example. Instead use photos from trips or landmarks, with no personal data or other people shown.
Use the built-in messenger function of dating platforms instead of sharing your phone number or other messaging apps. If you decide to move to another messenger, don’t forget to set it up to keep your data private and secure.
Use an effective security solution that offers advanced protection across multiple devices. Kaspersky Security Cloud can help manage your apps and remove permissions where this is not necessary.
In fact, the top cited reason for using a dating app is to ‘meet and interact with new people’ (48%), with 33% of people saying they use dating apps to make friends.
Of those looking to meet new people, 64% have been successful. And 70% of people using apps specifically to make friends felt the same way.
Surprisingly, 8% of people worldwide use dating apps to find jobs and networking opportunities with 66% of them saying they’ve even been successful in this context.
Though it’s worth noting this trend is significantly more prominent in certain countries like the UAE (19%), Egypt (18%), China (23%), India (15%) and Indonesia (21%). — with Raymond B. Tribdino
The full report is available via this link.
