“Cloaking” Is The Latest Dating Trend That’s Way Too Common

If you’re currently active on the dating scene, you already know how much it sucks. Between all the liars, players, and generally toxic people out there, you just want to find a nice partner to hang out with and maybe develop something real together. Unfortunately, terrible dating trends like cloaking are making it even harder than it already is.

  1. What is cloaking? The term, coined by Mashable reporter Rachel Thompson, is used for the phenomenon of talking to someone on a dating app, agreeing to a date, then being stood up and totally blocked by your match. Unfortunately, this seems to be all too common these days.
  2. It’s different than plain old ghosting. Obviously when you get ghosted, that may imply being stood up by a date, but it tends to apply more to people who’ve been chatting/texting/have gone on a few dates before one person just disappears without a trace. With cloaking, the connection tends to be a bit newer and the ending is much more final considering you get blocked from the dating app/social media/any other form of contact.
  3. It’s an all too common occurrence. Thompson coined the term after experiencing the trend herself. Everything was going great right up until they were about to meet up. When she went to the restaurant she and her Hinge date had agreed to meet up at, he never turned up. Not only that, but she realized that all of her WhatsApp messages suddenly stopped going through and that she was no longer matched with the guy on Hinge. What the hell?
  4. It’s humiliating to experience. Despite the fact that this kind of garbage behavior seems to be part and parcel of the online dating world these days, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck. “It’s really a humiliating thing to go through, but it also is a really common thing. Especially in the age of online dating,” Thompson said.
  5. There’s no way to prevent it but try not to let it get you down. If cloaking happens to you, it’s tempting to believe that there’s something wrong with you or that you must have done something to make your date just ditch you without really giving you a chance. That’s definitely not true. You’re amazing just as you are and this is all down to them. If they could treat you like this, it’s clear you’re better off without them.
Bolde has been a source of dating and relationship advice for single women around the world since 2014. We combine scientific data, experiential wisdom, and personal anecdotes to provide help and encouragement to those frustrated by the journey to find love. Follow us on Instagram @bolde_media or on Facebook @BoldeMedia
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