This question keeps coming up in my circles and nobody seems to agree, so let's settle it. Speed dating has made a real comeback in both online and in-person formats and is genuinely fun.
Bumble's time limit on matching creates urgency that leads to more real conversations happening. Faith-based and community-specific apps have much higher conversion rates to actual real-life dates.
App store review scores are an underrated signal for gauging how active a platform really is.
Safety practices I always follow:
- Never share your real last name, address, or workplace before meeting someone in person.
- Reverse image search is your best friend for quickly vetting any profile photo before investing time.
- A VPN helps with general browsing privacy but isn't a complete anonymity solution.
- Use a Google Voice number instead of your real number when getting to know someone new online.