Posts Tagged ‘online dating’
Posted on January 5, 2007 - by Administrator
Online Dating – How it Works
Online dating is nothing but finding a date using a website. It can be used by both women and men to find a date. They can do so by browsing a site, and finding profiles of people that interest them. Some websites allow free access, while others charge a small fee to allow users to browse their databanks.
However, the basic model of an online dating website is the same. A user is required to enter his/her profile. This is then stored in the website’s server, and can be accessed by any authorized site user. All dating sites run a powerful search program that can match profiles on the basis of age, gender, community, interests, etc.
The cost varies from site to site. Some sites provide free users access to a few profiles; others insist on payment. The payment also has several tiers. The maximum access is provided to those users who pay the highest rates.
Almost all paid sites are very particular about privacy. They route the contact mails through their email server so that neither party will ever see the actual email address of the other. Some recommend opening a free e-mail account for online dating. This does not happen in the case of most free websites. Your personal information is visible to everyone.
Another important thing to keep in mind about paid sites is that they allow people to create or browse profiles only after paying the subscription fee. Also, only members can contact the site users. Besides this, a paid membership also entitles members to a higher ranking in search results.
All sites warn you to avoid mentioning personal information like your full name, address, phone number, place of employment, social security number etc. This is sound advice, and must be taken seriously. There is no point in exposing yourself to cyber stalkers.
However, there is no harm in giving your interests in full. It also makes sense to post a good photograph on the site. Profiles with photographs get better responses than profiles without.
Your first communication should be through email. The second step should be to establish voice communication. This should be done once you develop a liking and trust for your online friend. Here too you should not give your landline number. The best is to use your mobile, or even better online voice chat, which does not reveal your home address. The final step should be to invite your online friend to a date.