Meeting someone new from a friendship app: how to keep it safe and comfortable
Updated
Meeting a new friend you found online is usually ordinary and pleasant. A few habits make it more comfortable for both people, and they are the same whether you met through an app, a group chat or a friend of a friend.
Before you meet
- Talk first. A short call tells you more than a week of messages, and it means nobody meets a stranger cold.
- Keep your contact details private until you are comfortable. You do not need to share your number, workplace or address to meet someone.
- Agree on a specific, busy public place and time.
- Check what a profile badge actually means. On Simurgsu, “Identity verified” means an ID was checked; it is not a background check.
When you meet
- Arrange your own way there and back.
- Tell someone you trust where you will be and when you expect to leave.
- Keep the first meeting short and in daylight or early evening if that feels better.
- You can leave at any time, for any reason. A polite “I should head off” is enough.
Afterwards
You do not owe anyone a second meeting. If it was nice, say so and suggest a next step. If it was not, a short, kind message is fine, and so is not continuing.
If something made you uncomfortable, report it to the service you used. Good platforms take reports seriously and do not tell the other person who made them.
How Simurgsu helps
Every Simurgsu introduction starts with a five-minute audio or video hello, and each person decides privately whether to meet. Meetups are planned in public places, and the plan screen has a “Copy safety plan” button so you can send the details to someone you trust. Read the full safe meeting guidance.
