Does Web Presence Heighten Jealousy?

You’ve met a great guy through online dating, the chemistry is there, sparks are flying and you’ve arranged to meet face to face. Should you Google him before meeting? Should you conduct a little web reconnaissance to make sure this guy’s for real? The simple answer is no. A man’s Internet presence will only heighten jealousy and give you information that he may not be ready to share with you.

There are dozens of tools for looking up information about someone: Facebook, Google search, LinkedIn, Twitter, a county property search and other public records and news archives. Some women try and justify the online search by saying they’re making sure the guy is legit. Instead of virtually stalking this guy, take precautions. Meet him in a public place, don’t tell him where you live or work, and tell a friend where you’re going and with whom.

Women who are spending more time investigating a new guy on the Internet, rather than trying to get to know him in the real world, are only going to find dating disaster. One of the best things about dating someone new is learning about their life. It’s like opening up a bunch of little presents on Christmas morning. If you find out the personal information ahead of time via the Internet, then you will no longer have that joy of having your expectations exceeded.

As for established relationships, women who check up on their boyfriend via social media tools like Facebook are only going to find trouble. Sure, it’s normal to check out the cute new photos of his nephew he’s posted and comment “adorable!” But it’s not OK to check his profile every 20 minutes to make sure his ex-girlfriend isn’t posting things to his wall. This will only drive you crazy and make him think you’re crazy.

The Internet has created new problems and solutions when it comes to dating. Online dating has connected life partners who may not have otherwise found each other. On the downside, the web has created new portals for men and women to gather information about each other. Ladies, be careful how you traverse the murky waters of the World Wide Web. Don’t trade real life research for hours at your computer. Get to know your new man the old-fashioned way — in person and honestly.