Ahead of Valentine’s Day criminology expert shares top tips to stay safe when online dating

Posted on 13 February 2025 • University news

It is estimated that 11 million people in the UK are dating online and with Valentine’s Day approaching, it could prompt people to try online dating apps hoping to find love.

There is, however, a dark side to online dating, and according to a survey by the BBC, 33% of people aged between 18 to 35 have either experienced harassment or abuse from someone that they’ve met online.

Dr Emma Turley, Visiting Fellow, at The Open University’s Centre for Protecting Women Online has researched dating safety. Here she offers her top tips to help safe stay while navigating the world of online dating.

Protect your personal information

Avoid sharing your full name, your home address, or the address of your workplace and your daily routines too soon and always stick to messaging in the app before giving out your phone number or your other social media accounts.

Verify the person’s identity

Essentially you need to verify that they are who they say they are. To do this you could do a reverse image search to check they are using the correct photos. You also might want to do a quick video chat before you meet with them in person.

Look out for red flags

These are things like inconsistent stories, fast-tracked intimacy/love bombing, or requests for personal information or money. Also, if they pressure you to move off the app quickly, be a little bit wary.

Be careful with photos and video calls

Be mindful about what’s in your background during video chats. This goes back to the first tip about avoiding showing personal information too soon or too quickly.

Report and block suspicious users

If you feel unsafe or uncomfortable at any point, then don’t be afraid to block and report the person. Most apps have in-app reporting features for users to report inappropriate behaviour.

Consider using a separate email or Google Voice number for dating

This keeps everything separate from your more general everyday email accounts or phone numbers and will help protect your privacy.

Trust your instincts

If something feels off, if something makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t ignore it. It’s OK to end a conversation. It’s OK to leave a date. It’s OK to block somebody on an app if you feel uncomfortable. Your safety always comes first.

The Centre for Protecting Women Online has recently hosted a webinar about online harms and online dating with Dr Emma Turley and guest panellist, Kenya Fairley, Planning and Partnerships Associate Director at Bumble. Watch it here Love is in the air? The risks and harms of online dating

Dr Emma Turley said:

“Dating apps, although they can be fantastic, can also come with risks to things like exposure to sexual harassment and financial scams. Unfortunately, the research tells us that violence against women on these apps is not rare. However, rather than discouraging women from using dating apps, we want to we want to help them understand what to look out for so they can better protect themselves and stay safe.”