Our generation is obsessed with having, defining and finding new relationships. We enjoy meeting and talking to new people and the idea of having a fresh start with someone new.
One way people do this is online, whether that is meeting people through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter or participating in dating sites. When it comes to Tinder, it can really be defined as both a social and dating site for a younger audience.
For those who do not know, Tinder is a social site that uses pictures of people that the user can either swipe right to like or swipe left to dislike.
If the person likes your picture as well, then it becomes a match and the two of you can send messages back and forth until you supposedly fall in love. Some people use Tinder to find new friends, and some use it to find a romantic partner.
I downloaded the application myself. I found that I have chronic swipe left disease, because the longer I use the application, the higher my standards get and the more judgmental I become.
Despite this, I actually matched a few lucky men, although none have bothered to message me. I did, however, meet my soul mate. Pizzazz, age 24, whose profile picture is of pizza asked me to have little pizza roll children with him. I only lost interest after he told me he hated California. I don’t understand how pizza can hate California.
While on my Tinder adventures, I felt the application itself was safe. It only uses first name and age, and I am in no way obligated to share more information. However, there are some accounts on Tinder that are scams.
“Pretty much when I get scammed, I swipe right on some girl, and then within a span of 5 seconds, it will be a match, and then within maybe a span of 5 to 10 minutes, I’ll get a message from the person, who basically has three somewhat pixilated pictures,” said University of Indianapolis Office Coordinator of the Student Business Center Brian McCarty. “They will respond with something like ‘Hey, I like to have sex with strangers, give me a call,’ and they will give me a phone number. So I just unmatch and report spam.”
McCarty said he uses Tinder when he is bored. I have to agree that it can be entertaining. It is intriguing to talk to people who know absolutely nothing about you. But how safe is it actually to meet a person from Tinder?
Although most people have heard stories of people meeting in person from Tinder, I haven’t found anyone actually to comment. However, if anyone is considering meeting someone he or she meets on the internet, whether it is Tinder or another site, I would say the same thing. Be smart about it.
Talk on the phone or video chat a few times. If and when you set up a meeting time, make sure you tell a friend where you are going and make the meeting in a public setting. These precautions seem like common sense, but you can never be too safe.
Most of the people I have spoken with, use Tinder as a social site just to speak to new people. It is almost like the new MSN Messenger. The only difference is that instead of friends, you are talking to strangers.
Tinder may have become just another social media site, where actually meeting with its participants is at your own risk.
The application only shows my name, age and the About Me section, which says, “I’m pretty basic,” along with a flawless picture of me with bangs. I haven’t had bangs for two years.
The Tinder version of me has 64 matches and has spoken to only four of them, including Pizzazz. I am still not sure if Pizzazz is a real person or not. So use good judgment.
Tinder may be safe, but meeting a stranger may not be.
