The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) used Valentine’s Day last week to urge online daters to protect their privacy.
In a statement, the OAIC said the strength of dating app passwords should be as strong as online banking passwords.
“Dating apps are now a common way for people to connect, creating another opportunity for hackers to mine your personal information,” the OAIC said.
“While some banks and email accounts offer a two-factor authentication process, it is not as common on dating sites which makes accounts with weak or poorly-secured passwords more vulnerable.”
It advised account holders to always use different passwords for different accounts; ensure they had a random combination of numbers, letters and punctuation; and were at least eight characters long.
“You may think you’re swiping away comfortably behind a screen, but the internet is full of more creepers than your local bar,” it said.
“To keep your dating profile secure, avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi when using dating apps.
“Before you jump on the Tinder train make sure you’re using your mobile data or trusted Wi-Fi connections and that your device has anti-virus security.”
The OAIC said that oversharing personal information on dating app profiles could leave users vulnerable to discovery on other online platforms.
“Oversharing can also result in personal and professional reputational damage or identity fraud,” it said.
“Keep certain information private until you are comfortable with the person you are talking to.”
More detailed information about dating online can be accessed on the website of the eSafety Commissioner at this PS News link.
