I still don't get this. Meeting someone online seems a lot *less* safe than meeting in person, where you can a) actually confirm this is the person you're talking to, and not some slimeball hiding behind a fake profile and b) notice all the details about the person - do they twitch like a tweaker? Act rude to the waitress? Smell like a garbage barge?

I get that during the pandemic, online is pretty much the only option. But the idea that in general (not vis a vis the virus) it's somehow safer is just not true.