Cruising app safety tips
Written by Julien Lenaz, lead developer of cruush.
Before the meeting
- Talk long enough to get a sense of the person.
- Say what you want and what you do not.
- Keep your home address and workplace to yourself at first.
- Treat pressure to move faster as a warning sign.
The first meeting
- Meet somewhere public.
- Tell a friend who you are meeting and where.
- Charge your phone and know how you are getting home.
- Leave if it feels off. You owe nothing.
Photos
Send only what you are comfortable having exist. A view-once photo or an expiring message limits how long it sits in a chat, but anyone can still photograph a screen.
Health
If you are sexually active, get tested regularly and talk to a clinic about what prevention suits you.
If something goes wrong
Block them, report them, and tell someone you trust. If you are in danger, call emergency services first.
Trusting your read
If something about the way someone writes feels off, believe it. People who want to meet safely tend to be fine with you taking your time, and people who push do not.
Your digital footprint
Think about what a screenshot of your profile or messages would reveal. A photo without your face, a first name only and no workplace in your profile all make that screenshot less useful to someone who should not have it.