Most common activities of online dating users in the United States prior to physically meeting someone they met on a dating website or app as of January 2021, by gender
Characteristic
Men
Women
Searched for their social media profiles
38%
51%
Searched their name online
37%
44%
Searched their phone number online
25%
22%
Done a reverse-image search using their photos
11%
14%
Run a background check on them
6%
13%
None of these
32%
29%
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Original question: "Which, if any, of the following have you done before meeting up with someone you met through a dating app/website? Please select all that apply."
Citation formats
U.S. user actions before meeting somebody via online dating 2021, by gender
According to a May 2021 survey of adults in the United States, 51 percent of women who used dating apps or websites searched the social media profile of the person they met online before meeting them in real life. More women than men also searched for the name of the person they met online, as well as running a background check on them. Searching online for the phone number of the person users met on dating apps or websites appeared to be slightly more common in men than women, with 25 percent of men indicating they did so before meeting their date.
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YouGov. (February 6, 2019). Most common activities of online dating users in the United States prior to physically meeting someone they met on a dating website or app as of January 2021, by gender [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved August 05, 2026, from /statistics/976169/actions-adults-prior-meeting-someone-met-dating-app-usa-gender/
YouGov. "Most common activities of online dating users in the United States prior to physically meeting someone they met on a dating website or app as of January 2021, by gender." Chart. February 6, 2019. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed August 05, 2026. /statistics/976169/actions-adults-prior-meeting-someone-met-dating-app-usa-gender/
YouGov. (2019). Most common activities of online dating users in the United States prior to physically meeting someone they met on a dating website or app as of January 2021, by gender. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: August 05, 2026. /statistics/976169/actions-adults-prior-meeting-someone-met-dating-app-usa-gender/
YouGov. "Most Common Activities of Online Dating Users in The United States Prior to Physically Meeting Someone They Met on a Dating Website or App as of January 2021, by Gender." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 6 Feb 2019, /statistics/976169/actions-adults-prior-meeting-someone-met-dating-app-usa-gender/
YouGov, Most common activities of online dating users in the United States prior to physically meeting someone they met on a dating website or app as of January 2021, by gender ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/976169/actions-adults-prior-meeting-someone-met-dating-app-usa-gender/ (last visited August 05, 2026)
Most common activities of online dating users in the United States prior to physically meeting someone they met on a dating website or app as of January 2021, by gender [Graph], YouGov, February 6, 2019. [Online]. Available: /statistics/976169/actions-adults-prior-meeting-someone-met-dating-app-usa-gender/
