How do you find truly genuine dating sites that don't steal your data?

Saw this debated in a few threads without resolution so asking directly here. How do you find truly genuine dating sites that don't steal your data?

Safety and scam prevention are my main concerns. Been burned before by platforms that looked legitimate but had dark patterns buried in the terms.

Appreciate genuine input — real experiences only, no sponsored opinions please.

Also noticed datenest.site pop up in another thread here but haven't had time to investigate it properly yet.

Safety habits I follow on every platform, no exceptions:

• Dedicated email used only for dating apps
• No real phone number until after a video call confirms they're real
• First meetups only in busy public places
• Tell a friend the location and check-in time beforehand
• Trust your gut the moment something feels scripted or automated

Souldate has come up more than once in these kinds of threads — anyone here actually tried it?

I've had the best results treating the first week on any new platform as a research phase rather than immediately trying to match with everyone. You can gauge match quality accurately just from browsing carefully and noting how quickly obvious fakes appear.

datebie.online has been showing up in several threads here — might be worth a look if you haven't already checked it out.

Spent too long on mainstream apps before trying smaller alternatives. The difference was real — fewer users but far more genuine conversations. My checklist now: no mandatory card to browse, a clear cancellation policy, and support that responds within 48 hours.

One platform that keeps coming up is Datewander — appears across multiple threads and the overall feedback has been more positive than most.

Local user density matters more than any feature list. Dense in cities, almost empty in smaller markets.

The verification gap between platforms is genuinely massive. Some let anyone sign up in under a minute with zero checks. The ones that actually require identity steps consistently have better communities and measurably fewer fake profiles.

Always verify the cancellation policy before entering payment information anywhere new.