We are now in the 21st century, it shouldn't be frowned upon to meet a loved one on a dating app/website. I mean, I met someone on Tinder and it has been almost a year we've been together and we're still going strong. Everything nowadays involves some kind of internet and/or electronics. I understand that it could be a little unsafe to meet people over the internet, but there are ways to make it so nothing bad will happen.
Tinder is one of the biggest apps that people hate. If someone meets someone on the app then they automatically call them crazy because there are crazy people on Tinder. However, this is true for every dating site no matter what they do to try to not let that happen. A way to not let any of this happen to you is by making sure you have talked to them for a while before meeting in person. Most people who are not on these sites for dating will not be willing to keep up a relationship online only for a long time. If they say they want to meet with you immediately after you start talking to them, then that is a sign to not meet with them ever, even in a public place.
If you are setting up a time and place to meet someone from online, you must make sure it is a very populated place and to meet them there, not letting them drive you. When I met my boyfriend for the first time, I made sure it was at a popular restaurant so that nothing could happen since there would be so many witnesses and nothing could go wrong. Another way to make sure your extra safe is by having one or more friends come to the same restaurant and sit at a different table so they could keep an eye on you in case something goes wrong. There will always be those people who take advantage of these sites, but you could still be safe yourself.
Another thing to look out for is those people who refuse to send a picture or do not have a picture of themselves on their profile. This could be a huge sign. They are most likely lying about their age or who they are in general. Along with this, you should never give out your phone number either unless you have actually met up with them in person or if you have been talking to them for a long enough time. There are people out there who can track peoples phone numbers easily and that is not what you want.
I know there are a lot of people just like me who is horrible at talking to new people, let alone the opposite gender. I have been always been horrible at making friends or talking to new people in general, so I decided to try out Tinder for a little. I never imagined finding someone who I love. If there is anyone else out there who thinks they will never find someone because of how shy they are, then try out any kind of dating site. This could help you be more out there, as long as you make sure you follow all of these guidelines and tips on how to be safe.