Hooking up is hard enough as it is. And that's before you've thrown in the minefield of online dating and all its nuances into the mix.
It adds all kinds of complications around app etiquette, how to know when you're vibing, and how to move offline. Not to mention concerns over protecting your digital privacy. And yet, people repeatedly sabotage their own chances of success with common online dating mistakes — which can prevent you from finding that all-important match.
If you're a loyal AdultFriendFinder user and want to use the site safely and effectively, here are three things we recommend you should keep off your profile.
Hookup apps for everyone
AdultFriendFinder — readers’ pick for casual connections
Tinder — top pick for finding hookups
Hinge — popular choice for regular meetups
Credit: AdultFriendFinder
Public-facing NSFW content
AdultFriendFinder is very permissive when it comes to NSFW content — you could even say it's kinda the whole point of AFF — and many of its members take advantage of this freedom by posting explicit material upfront. That said, we advise against it, especially if you also plan on sharing pictures or videos of your face.
Always use non-nude content for your profile photos. Because once you post naked content online, you lose all control over it – where it ends up and what it gets used for. That doesn't mean you can't share nudes, but there are more private ways to bare all.
Mashable Trend Report
It's not just a matter of your own safety but also the impression you give. While some people will be turned on by upfront nudity, others may be put off. So, if you want to maximize your chances at making a connection, you're better off leaving something to the imagination. You finding other subtler ways to be sexually suggestive.
Unnecessary personal information
Oversharing is another major security concern that people can overlook. No, your potential hookups don't need to know what you do for a living, at least not from from just scanning your profile, and they certainly don't need to know specifics about your employer, your address, or your marital situation.
Think very hard about what you choose to share and how certain information can lead back to you or even compromise you in the wrong hands. It's not that every person you meet on AFF will be a bad actor — chances are, most of your interactions will be totally genuine — but this is the internet we're talking about here and there are bad actors all over it, just waiting to strike.
Online safety 101: Share the bare minimum, and if you do choose to open up to a specific person, make sure you've vetted them and that they are who they say they are. There are common sense rules that you can follow.
Sexual boasting
Hookup sites in general, and AdultFriendFinder in particular, can be littered with profiles bragging about their sexual prowess, often in very crude terms (mostly men in our experience).
We understand the impulse to boast, especially when you're trying to connect with another human being on a sexual level, and in an environment centered on sex, but bragging is just a turn-off. Take note, fellas, and save your sexual boasting for one-on-one convos after a rapport has been established and you have a sense of the other person's turn-ons.