One in four Brits want their romantic past deleted from the internet and a clean dating slate

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Data from NordVPN show that one in four Brits want their romantic past deleted from the internet, with one in eight prepared to give up sex to guarantee a clean dating slate online.

With Valentine’s Day here, millions of Brits wish their romantic past was wiped off the internet for a clean dating slate, with no traces of romantic skeletons. In fact, one in eight Brits are prepared to give up sex in order for that to happen, according to a survey by cybersecurity company NordVPN.

One in four (25 percent) surveyed by the company said they want no trace of their former romantic life available online, and more than one in five (22 percent) worried that hackers could access information about their sex lives. Brits are so keen to keep their most personal information off the web that 12 percent said they would give up sex in order to have their internet past removed.

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Marijus Briedis, Chief Technology Officer at NordVPN, said: “With millions of people looking for love online and sharing their lives on social media, romantic baggage now usually comes with a digital footprint. This research reveals just how much people are concerned about their information being available on the web and the possibility of being found — or exploited — by others.”

Around 20 million people in the UK have an online dating profile from using a dating apps like Tinder, or have used one in the past. And according to data, around 37 percent feel that dating apps should not share personal information with third parties, and one in eight (13 percent) also said they find it hard to delete their dating accounts.

Briedis added: “It’s important to remember when registering with a company’s dating app or website that each swipe left or right typically comes at a cost. Even if you’re not paying a subscription fee there is usually a trade-off where you are consenting to share some personal data in exchange for using their service.

Around 20 million people in the UK have an online dating profile from using a dating app like Tinder.Around 20 million people in the UK have an online dating profile from using a dating app like Tinder.
Around 20 million people in the UK have an online dating profile from using a dating app like Tinder. | AFP via Getty Images

“And whether you’re on a dating site or not, good online habits are vital to safeguard your data and stay safe online. Using more sophisticated passwords, anti-virus tools and virtual private networks will drastically reduce your chances of being targeted by cybercriminals.”

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