Search engines on the web are one of the best inventions of the 21^st century.  At the click of a mouse, you can pretty much find out anything you want to know about any subject.  This includes finding out more about the people you meet through a dating service. With the way the world is these days, it’s not a bad idea at all to do a little investigation prior to meeting in person. You know he’s probably Googling your name, so why not Google his?  Call it preventative maintenance, snooping, curiosity or just good sense; but the fact of the matter is, if you’re dating online, you want to know as much as you can about your new cyber date.

Social Networking Speaks Volumes

There’s a good chance you won’t find out much, but at least you’ll be able to see if your online match is good at social networking.  If your online date is using social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, this will typically show up in the Google search engine.  At the minimum, you might find out a little extra something about the new person in your life.

Did he tell you he was an accountant?  You can find out if it’s true when his LinkedIn profile shows up in your Google search. If the firm he works for is listed as the one he told you about, wipe that sweat off your brow and start choosing a new outfit to wear on your first date!  This is just a way for you to protect yourself from some dishonest folks who are lurking online.  And many of these lurkers hang out on dating websites.

Information is Power

Doing a bit of research on an unknown person in your life is simply being sensible. And if you’re not searching for the person you just met online, you can be assured that he is searching for you.   People often lie on their online profiles.  Sometimes they are not huge lies; sometimes they lie about their age, their weight, and what they do for a living just to make themselves look like a better catch. I’m not suggesting you plunk their name into a search engine in order to catch them out in a lie, but information is power, isn’t it?

The Real Thing?

Mainly, the best thing about investigating your online date is to simply make sure they are who they say they are.  You don’t need to become some sort of private detective or cyber stalker, but I think you might have more peace of mind if you know that the new object of your attention is on the up and up.

Conclusion

If doing a little research on your online date enables you to feel a little more protected and a little less vulnerable as you stumble into the mine fields that are online dating, you should do it. It’s not always treacherous; it’s rarely dangerous; but a little insurance policy never hurt anyone.