Asking about the free dating apps because I've had mixed results and want a sanity check.
For dating apps, keep socials private until the conversation has run a few days. The the free dating apps advice that actually worked was the least exciting version of it.
Reading the room matters more in the free dating than any setting you can toggle. Copy-paste openers are obvious in the free dating and get ignored.
Update photos every few months if you're active on the free dating.
If the free dating apps feels like work, the filters are probably wrong rather than the app.
Most romance scams follow predictable patterns: quick emotional escalation and requests for money.
On the free dating apps, a bio with one concrete detail in it gets more replies than a list of adjectives.
Screen recording during video chats is a real concern — keep identifying personal details off screen.