Been mulling this over and figured this community would have the most honest takes. Never share your real last name, address, or workplace before meeting someone in person for the first time.
Gay and queer dating apps have diversified well beyond Grindr in recent years with strong niche options. Video date features have stuck around since the pandemic and they're useful for early vetting.
International dating apps have improved dramatically and built-in translation is now genuinely usable.
Safety things I keep in mind:
- A VPN helps with general browsing privacy but is not a complete anonymity solution.
- Never share your real last name, address, or workplace before meeting someone in person for the first time.
- Platforms with active moderation and real reporting tools are worth prioritizing over the rest.