Contributed by: Jet on Sunday, October 17 2010 @ 08:20 am
Last modified on
I've noticed a disturbing trend in online dating profiles lately: people are giving out way too much personal information, whether they realize it or not.
No, I'm not talking about their issues with their mother or their medical history; I mean real, concrete information about themselves, like where they live, where they work, where they can literally be found on most Friday nights.
I think this one stems from the fact that the world of online dating blends all the social worlds together, often in confusing ways. You start out as an anonymous internet user name. You begin to reveal some personal details through emails. When you meet, you've progressed to your real name, and your real face, clear of photoshop touch-ups. Often in the dating stage, more and more specific details – where you work, where you live – are revealed, and theoretically you end in a relationship, where there are very few secrets at all.
You're using the online dating world to move from being an anonymous stranger to a best friend. It's not surprising that progress can be uneven or uncertain at times.
The biggest faux pas I see has to be the reveal of the workplace. Sometimes it's blatantly in the body of the profile: “I work as a copywriter for this not-so-large company!” Sometimes it might be a username that is more obvious than you might think: for example, a girl who works at the Flying Thunder roller coaster at the local amusement park becomes “FTrollergal.” It might not make any sense to the world at large, but to someone local, it's clear as day.
Sometimes, in a larger city, people clarify the specific neighborhood they live in. Occasionally those neighborhoods are really just a street or two. Then they mention they hang out at the local coffee shop every weekend, when there's only one local coffee shop. Instant stalker material.
I know the world of the internet is shrinking, and in general people are less concerned about “putting it all out there,” but we mustn't forget basic safety rules. After all, you might not care that your perfect match knows where you live – but what about all the imperfect matches checking out your page as well?