With Valentine’s Day around the corner, millions of Brits would like to see their online dating past deleted from the face of the internet. Some are even prepared to give up sex to see it done.
One in four, 25% of participants surveyed by cybersecurity company NordVPN stated that they wanted no trace of their romantic past available on the internet. Of those asked, 22% were also concerned that hackers could find information about their sex life. Speaking of sex life, 12% of participants said that they would be prepared to give up sex in exchange for having their online presence removed.
Dating apps have become an extremely popular platform for those looking to make a connection, it makes it easier to find people that otherwise would never cross a user’s path. However, for many these apps also feel superficial with their swipe design. While some may find what they are looking for, others want out. More than a third of Brits, 37% feel that dating apps should not share information with third parties and 13% who have used them revealed that they found it hard to delete their account.
Digital dating footprint
According to visitor figures the world’s most popular dating site is Badoo. The site has more than 100 million monthly visits on average, followed by Tinder and Plenty of Fish. An estimated 20 million adults in the UK have an online dating profile or have used one in the past. Developer information on Badoo mobile app shows that a user’s ID, approximate location, phone number, and app activity can all be collected for marketing purposes.
Of those surveyed who have dated online, 16% reported receiving more spam emails after signing up for a dating app. NordVPN’s research also showed that 2.5 million Brits have been the victim of romance or phishing scams while looking for love.
Chief technology officer at NordVPN, Marijus Briedis said, “with millions of people looking for love online and sharing their lives on social media, romantic baggage now usually comes with a digital footprint. This research reveals just how much people are concerned about their information being available on the web and possibility of being found — or exploited — by others.”
Looking for love online
Briedis went on to say that users should be aware of what they are signing up for as even free apps will often ask the user to consent to sharing some personal data in exchange for using the service. In addition to this, it was noted that users should adopt good online habits such as using more sophisticated passwords and anti-virus tools. These measures can help to reduce the chance of being targeted by cybercriminals.
As our social spaces continue to grow within the digital world, users must understand what terms they are agreeing to when signing up to these services. New dating trends show that singles are willing to expand their search for love into the metaverse with apps such as Kippo.
Paige Cook is a writer with a multi-media background. She has experience covering video games and technology and also has freelance experience in video editing, graphic design, and photography. Paige is a massive fan of the movie industry and loves a good TV show, if she is not watching something interesting then she's probably playing video games or buried in a good book. Her latest addiction is virtual photography and currently spends far too much time taking pretty pictures in games rather than actually finishing them.
