There’s a new online dating phenomenon you need to watch out for.
So what is kittenfishing? It’s essentially a tamed-down version of catfishing — which is when online daters pretend to be someone they’re not.
Kittenfishing, on the other hand, is when dating app users embellish the truth and present themselves in an unrealistically positive light — to try to draw in potential lovers.
Saying you’re a few inches taller than you really are, deliberately using old photos or posting heavily filtered pictures might seem harmless. But it will almost certainly leave your date feeling disappointed, which is sure to get things off to a bad start.
Some people also exaggerate their age, interests or accomplishments to make themselves seem more interesting.
According to a recent survey, 38 percent of men feel they have been kittenfished — as well as 24 percent of women.
But, surprisingly, just 2 percent of men and 1 percent of women admit to having done it themselves — suggesting most people don’t realize the extent of their own lies.
“If everyone was just honest, things would be a lot easier,” said one Hinge member. “Yeah, you might have to face some of your insecurities, but in the end, people don’t like liars, and if you lie, it probably won’t work out anyway.”
Question: What do you think about online dating? Do you prefer the traditional of meeting people offline or using technology to meet new people?