Meeting people online has its pros and cons. You have to exercise caution while interacting with people on the internet so as to not have a bad experience. Some prey on the anonymity of online interactions to carry out their malicious acts. The internet can be a dangerous place to meet people if you’re not careful. Here are some dangers of meeting people online.
Meeting A Sexual Predator
If you have children or younger relatives, you need to check who they interact with online. YouTube recently came under fire when their Youtube Kids had paedophiles and sexual predators leaving suggestive comments on videos. Even for adults, predators are very real online. Someone might be masquerading as an innocent crush but turns out to be a pervert. You have to be vigilant about how far is too far so as not to fall prey to sexual predators.
Falling For A Catfish
One of the worst experiences when meeting people online is being catfished. Unfortunately, this is becoming more common by the day. For those who still don’t know, catfishing is either using someone else’s profile and pretending that it’s you or altering your pictures to a point that they don’t look anything like you in person. The latter is quite common on Instagram where your looks are what gets you more followers. The Singlehood Series: My Best Friend Has Fallen In Love But She’s Being Catfished
Losing Online Friends
Have you ever invested months, sometimes years, talking to someone online only for them to ghost you all of a sudden? Though online friendships are more low maintenance than traditional friendships, you risk losing your connection in a heartbeat. Think about how many Facebook friends you no longer talk to. This can be a heartbreaking ordeal especially when you’re emotionally invested. You can feel used and socially rejected leading to anxiety or low self-esteem.
Getting Hacked
If losing friends doesn’t bother you, how about losing your personal information? We tend to overshare on the internet and when this information lands in the wrong hands, it can be dangerous. Some of these online accounts are bots designed to hack your account and get your personal information. Additionally, hackers can use details about you to hack into other accounts. Information like your mother’s birthday and places you grew up should not be part of your profile.
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Becoming Anti-Social
As mentioned, online interactions are easier than physical interactions. Therefore, many people would prefer to meet people online other than go out into the world and face whatever comes their way. In fact, nearly 50% of women prefer online dating while 52% of men choose to find their significant other on dating sites. Love On Social Media Can Be Deceptive – How I Turned Back A Lady I’d Been Dating Online
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Trolls Are A Thing
There are many idle people on the internet seeking thrills. They do so by trolling or bullying people online. Unfortunately, these people are everywhere. They make their way into your comment sections or DM to harass you with inappropriate or hurtful words. This can take a toll on your emotional and mental well-being especially if you’re sensitive to others’ thoughts about you
If you want to give yourself some additional protection before you meet somebody from the internet, you might want to check out what information is held about them on public databases and social media platforms. There are several sites which offer people searches (like Information’s People Lookup Search) and these can help give you some additional information on a person.
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