Online dating has broken barriers and is the new norm for forming relationships, be it romantic or purely social.
From pioneers like Tinder, Bumble and Grindr to social apps that have dating features, such as Facebook and Viber, the possibilities of meeting new people have never been wider.
As exciting as it may appear, online dating can still get overwhelming given the number of profiles to sift through.
Keeping an eye out for green flags or positive traits will help the search for a potential significant other feel easier and safer, even from a virtual standpoint.
Green flags
The first telling sign a person is real is when their profile is verified and has several photos – and not just pictures, but recent and filter-free images that really show the kind of person they are.
Having a bio helps give a better look at the person, especially if a few words reflect their personality or showcase their interests, humor and values that matter most to them.
Pay attention to how matches converse with you, particularly the kind of questions they ask, ideally engaging ones.
Online dating is built on conversations and interactions, which are two-way efforts. The other party should be curious to know who you are and ask the right questions to know you better.
Discussions shouldn’t have to be monologues or one person bearing all the weight; they should feel like a rhythmic to-and-fro with increasing interest and effort.
At the same time, matches should be considerate – including onself – and understand there is a life outside of online dating. Messages don’t have be instant.
Green flags will also be respectful and not force others for personal information or quickly move to a different platform.
Red flags
If there are positive traits, then there are negative ones, or red flags, as well, which may be familiar to far too many individuals.
Right from the beginning, profiles with no photos or bio should be a warning sign. Louder alarms will ring if photos are stock images, heavily altered, or worse, pictures of someone else.
People say falling in love should be easy, but not so easy that matches quickly get carried away with pet names and professions of love within a few days.
Be wary of the other party bringing up emergencies meant to entice one to send money or investment opportunities that require wire transfers or using a different application. All these scream extortion and fraud.
If such things happen, don’t just disengage from the conversation, report them as well so that the apps can take proper action.
Beyond scams, some profiles just have vibes that can turn people off. Examples are those who write in their bios a list of specific demands and ultimatums rather than preferences.
Words come off as threatening like “either match my energy or just unmatch” or cynical like “sorry if you can’t handle,” as well as specific standards such as “should own a car or their own place.”
Merely having expletives or curse words in bios is a sign of potential toxic behavior and no emotional control.
Oftentimes, the vibes are there but just don’t click because of differing interests. There are profiles with few photos and really short bios, indications that online dating isn’t a priority.
Conversations with such people have really short replies and hardly any questions – better off unmatching rather than dealing with the bare minimum.