Online dating? Make sure you’re protecting your personal information and staying safe. Discover tips to enhance your privacy on dating platforms.

Being on a dating site can make dating a little easier, but it also opens you up to way more people, which means many more creeps.

Some of these tips are designed to make it less likely a creepy stalker will track you down. It’s no guarantee, but still mostly works.

Username: Pick something different than what you use on your social media accounts. Don’t use your real name in any way.

Pictures: Don’t use pictures you have public on your social media accounts. That way if they try to do a reverse image search nothing should come up.

If you have kids, do not put pictures of them up.

Try not to put up photos that reveal your location, job, or shows a place you frequent.

Phone Number: Get a google voice number to give to potential dates. Once you feel comfortable you can give them your real number.

Profile Info: Do not reveal personal stuff: name, where you work, the school you attend (if you go to school), your favorite place to hang out, kids names, links to social media… You get the idea. Basically, be as generic as possible. Example: “I’m a graphic design student, and I love to hang out downtown.”

Meeting Up: Never meet/go on the date at their place or yours. Meet in public. I’m surprised by how many people want to meet/date at their homes right away.

Am I forgetting anything?

Even if it sounds it, I’m not saying be super paranoid, but be careful. I am surprised by how much info people reveal on these sites.