Online dating is no different to traditional offline dating when it comes to safety and precautionary measures. You wouldn't walk into a nightclub and give somebody you've never met before, your credit card details and so we wouldn't expect you to do that with somebody you have only just met at an online dating site. The same rule applies to personal details, such as name, address and telephone number.

When using an online dating service it is just good practice and common sense to keep your personal details to yourself until you feel really confident that the person you are chatting to is genuine and is who he/she say they are. Remember that, although there is a photo of the person on the site, it is not necessarily the person you are chatting to. Some online dating sites (including DatingBridge.com) have audio video dating technology where you can see the person on their web cam before deciding to go on a date with them, so you really do have an extra stage of dating safety and identity confirmation before taking the steps towards arranging some actual dates. Of course the video dating feature can be thought of as a date in itself, so make the best of it and get to know each other a bit more while using the online dating service. DatingBridge.com uses the 'see me, hear me, meet me' technology, which gives you exactly this.. the ability to chat with each other via webcam before going out on a date.

The First Date

When using an online dating service and you decide you are going to go on a date with the person you have met online, it is always a good idea to have that first date in a public place with lots of people around. Maybe go for a coffee or a drink somewhere and get to know each other a bit more. You will usually know from your own instincts whether you are likely to meet up with the person again after that initial date. Using an online dating service has the added benefit of giving you time to get to know each other before the first date, so you will already have some of the person's background and may have already had some laughs and swapped stories. The first date can be used to gain each other's trust and get a good feeling for that person's personality.

You should always let somebody know where you are going when on a first date. This rule should apply whether you met the person using an online dating service or met them in a bar or club previously. It is also sometimes a good idea to arrange an exit plan for any number of reasons. If you decide you just aren't enjoying the date or you just don't get a good vibe from the evening then your exit plan could be put into action. You can pre-arrange for a friend to call you at a specified time, maybe 1 hour into the date, and this can be your chance to say "I've got to go now, something has come up". You could even prepare the ground for this early on in your date by suggesting that you may get a phone call later as you do have something to attend to and the phone call will determine whether or not you have to do it.

Enjoy our Online Dating Service

Having said all of the above, using an online dating service is a fantastic way to meet new people and is very safe so long as you use the same precautions you would when meeting somebody in a bar or nightclub. It is simply common sense and if you use that you will have many enjoyable dates both online and offline. So enjoy your dating experience and most of all enjoy our fantastic online dating service.