Dear Match.com, Why Make Me Create A Fake Profile?

OPW - Apr 26 - IDEA is building a panel of internet dating power users.  Here's feedback from one of our friendly internet dating power users.
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I should be able to turn "off" letting someone know I "viewed" their profile or "saved it" as a favorite so I don't have to have an alternative "fake" profile to do my searching and favoriting. Maybe I don't want someone to know I looked at their profile or saved it.  Me (and my friends)  browse and "look" with fake profiles.  Then when I'm interested I email them with my real profile.  No wonder there's so many fake profiles, a lot of people figured out this is the only way to do it. 

I thought it was supposed to be 'ok to look.'

I need anonymous browsing. People would PAY EXTRA for features like this. I know women that won't even look at or read a guys profile if they don't like the headshot because they think if the guy sees they looked at their profile, they'll think it shows interest, when all she did was LOOK.

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Comments

[Dave]

This makes no sense. Most people that join match.com do so because they have very busy work lives. It is COMPLETELY far fetched to conclude that there are so many fake profiles because people are sitting around all day like you are doing working with two different profiles figuring out who they saved, who they favorited, who they viewed, This is completely unrealistic. People join the site because they feel it is less complicated, they don't do it and try and make it more complicated like you seem to do.

If you are a power user, you probably aren't a power user in South Dakota. You need to set up shop on-line in a small town in the South as a single, never married, no kids, educated individual- then you will see what fake profiles are.

[Paul]

we offer private browsing, and have done for some time, for our Premium Users.
I agree with the above post, most users wont be bothered to create an additional profile, and many wont even have thought about this issue.

The whole point of profile views is to stimulate contact. It does cause a problem, because people will look at photos which attract them for a variety of reasons. That might be just because the girl is in a bikini, or the guy is pulling a funny face but in most cases, it is basic and simple attraction. Users can always just say no thanks, if a profile view stimulates unwanted contact.

[Friendly internet dating power user.]

Dave,you're making it more complex than it is.I have a very busy "work life" too.I don't "sit around" all day with multiple profiles.It's very simple,you use one profile for "browsing" and "favoriting" and then you use your real profile for contacting and communicating.It takes the same amount of time as opening another webpage.Of course not "everyone" does it only the people that are sharp and feel it's useful to them in some way.Mine is "hidden" so no one "see's" it anyway it's just for my own private clerical purpose's.It's NOT a fake profile with a pretty photo that's "viewable","winks","teases" or anything like that.It's not made to get people to subscribe.It's not one of "those" fake profiles that gets Dave to re-subscribe in his small town in other words.I just DON'T want people to KNOW I looked at thier profile or favorited them and they DON'T.This is the only way I know how to do it.On the old Yahoo you never had to do any of this.Because the site was setup the right way in my and a lot of peoples opinion.I've had women tell me to my face that they don't look at a lot of profiles and "favorite" very few on Match because they don't want to let guys know they were checking them out or lead them on falsely.

Maybe Paul can tell us how to "browse privately" on Match because I'm a "Premium" user and I don't see that anywhere in my settings although on Plenty Of Fish it's clearly marked with a checkbox that says "Do You Want People To Know You Viewed Their Profile"
Where I check "NO".It's not their business if I view thier profile.We know "why" you have it that way Paul to "stimulate" contact ie: "false interest" but it's wrong.
Just because someone looks at a profile doesn't mean they want to be contacted by THAT person,they're planning on contacting that person in the future or they want that person to know they even looked.As a paying member it's an invasion of my privacy.
And yes,people WOULD pay extra for this feature the same as we would for "private favoriting" or ESPECIALLY being able to only let the people we contact view our profile(like on POF)but we can't so we use these "work arounds".It's no big deal really,they're just the tricks of the trade.

You know how I "save a favorite" on POF so they don't know? I save the whole webpage of the profile to a folder in Internet Explorer Favorites.Unlike on Match,on POF you don't have to logged in or even have a profile to view a profile.If you try that on Match they ask you to "log in" or "sign up" to view it thus making people who just want to look at 1 profile sign up.That's ridiculous !!

[Dave]

You can also block the profile from contacting you if you are not interested on match.com. For me, I'm just blunt about it. "I know what I'm attracted to, and based on the profile, you seem like a great gal, but I'm not sure you are the best fit for me. I thought I would be honest about it rather than waste both of our times."

[mic]

"I know women that won't even look at or read a guys profile if they don't like the headshot because they think if the guy sees they looked at their profile, they'll think it shows interest, when all she did was LOOK."

That is a terrible reflection on human nature. Unfortunately, it seems the only way around it in online dating is for people to look more attractive in profile photos (and preferably genuinely so).

[Dave]

Dude, what are you talking about? Did you honestly tell me I am making things more complex, and then write a novel? You are just plain wrong, as well. People don't construct multiple profiles other than you and your "friends." Try getting some sunshine, some fresh air, and meeting people in person.

[Friendly internet dating power user]

That novel took about 5 minutes to write to explain the reasons I do what I do.To each his own,you do it your way and I'll do it mine.If your way works for you that's great! Mine works fine for me a lot of men and women I know so we'll keep doing it unless Match changes.I can assure you,you never really know what"people"do online because they're not going to tell you(like I did).You know that a lot of what goes on is hidden by users and the sites themselves.It's just a fact.

Btw I meet people "in person" all the time,I'm lucky enough to live in an area where there's many professional singles events as well as 10-15 "Meet up" groups filled with single people.There's actually almost an event 4-5 nights a week.A lot of these women join these "meetup" groups on Meetup.com because they're "safe".It's much easier for them to meet and hang out with a group of people where there's no pressure than to meet 1 guy for a drink and they love it.

[[email protected]]

People create fake profiles all the time. It is the only way to look at profiles and not let on and stimulate false interest. Do you know how many guys email you the minute they see a woman checked their profile out? Too many. So many in fact, that it becomes overwhelming to the point where you just stop reading emails. I don't like the in private mode however. I do think that if you intend to hide, you should have to make an effort. Private mode makes it too easy for players to lead people on and hurt feelings. And cheat.

[sandy]

I have "Private Mode" on Match and I find that there are a few profiles that come up in my "viewed me" list that I have not allowed and have not even seen before. Obviously, there are some glitches. I've paid almost $10/mo for the feature, so it should work properly.

[Bob I]

Perhaps Match.com can implement an option that if a user doesn't want to be viewed by someone with a hidden profile, he/she can choose not to be viewed (e.g. if I select "Do not allow users with hidden profile to view me", my photo/profile would appear blank and the attempted viewer would know I've hidden myself from users that have hidden themselves from me, while others with unhidden profiles, real or fake, can still see me).

I would be more than glad to pay a small fee for this feature. This way, people that choose to remain hidden can stay hidden, people that don't want to be viewed by hidden users can also get what they want. More money to be made for Match.