A dating columnist has highlighted a new social media platform that people are using to flirt, and it’s not the typical ones you might think of.
When you consider ‘sliding into the DMs’, you might immediately think of Instagram, where a direct message can follow a series of likes and possibly a telling comment.
While it’s not as direct as a dating app, anyone in the dating scene knows that a message from an Instagram acquaintance could indicate more than just friendship.
However, it seems that people are open to using any form of connection if it offers a chance at romance or even an evening of fun.
This insight comes from dating expert Jana Hocking, who has revealed that one ‘unexpected’ app has emerged as the ‘discreet, underground dating app of the 2020s’.
The app in question is LinkedIn. Yes, the same platform used for job searching, sharing career achievements, and making professional connections. At least, that’s how it is traditionally used.
In a piece for The New York Post, Hocking shared an anecdote about a friend who had a LinkedIn dating experience.
Her friend connected with a man on the platform due to their ‘similar careers’, and now they are married.
Hocking also observed that her own inbox is regularly ‘filled with requests from men in finance, construction, and tech’—industries unrelated to her role as a dating columnist. She questioned: “We have zero work-related connections, so why are they so eager to network with me?”
The answer is quite apparent, as Hocking commented: “They’re not after career advice.”
Acknowledging that no social media site is truly safe, Hocking offered some red flags for those in relationships to watch out for if they suspect online connections are being made.
LinkedIn might be useful for professional purposes, but how essential is it for someone to spend excessive time on it? Hocking cautioned that if a user isn’t ‘pursuing business deals’, they might be ‘seeking digital attention’ instead.
Potential red flags on LinkedIn could involve connections with attractive strangers who are outside their industry, or invitations to ‘connect over coffee’.
But the cautionary signs aren’t limited to LinkedIn alone…
Hocking mentioned that a potential red flag could be if someone consistently likes and comments on social media posts from ‘random women’, yet neglects the photos you share of the two of you together.
She elaborated: “If you take a look at their explore page and it resembles the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, that’s a red flag.”
Blocking you from viewing their story might allow a partner to engage in ‘thirst trap’ posts on Instagram. They might insist that blocking you was an ‘accident’, though Hocking pointed out: “Chances are, it wasn’t. (It never is!)”
If you notice your partner’s phone lighting up at odd hours, despite being relatively quiet during the day, it might be something to be wary of.
As Hocking succinctly put it: “Honestly, no one is discussing work projects at 2 AM.”