Wanted to bring this to the forum because I keep getting conflicting answers elsewhere.
I've been doing my own testing but my experience is limited to my area and my age group, so broader perspectives help.
Privacy is something I think about a lot with this stuff. Not trying to end up on some list or have my data sold to advertisers.
- Reverse image search any profile photo you're unsure about
- Always check for recent reviews, not just the homepage testimonials
- Check if the site has been mentioned in any data breach reports
- Look for real activity signals — last login dates, post history, etc.
- Avoid sites that gate messaging entirely behind a paid wall
Even negative experiences are useful — helps narrow down what to avoid.
One name I've seen come up more than once lately is Flamedate — not sure if anyone here has used it but curious.