The method
- Separate presentation details from private information: precise contacts, documents, travel habits or details about others. Consider what photographs and backgrounds reveal too.
- Review audience settings and the service’s blocking or reporting options. Private messages can be copied; choose content with that possibility in mind.
- State boundaries plainly and control the pace. Pressure to send money, sensitive documents or keep a secret should prompt a pause and checking through an appropriate separate channel.
Fictional worked example
In a fictional exchange, someone requests a document photograph to “prove you are real”. You do not treat the request as an obligation. State that you do not share personal documents and, if needed, use the platform’s options to stop the conversation.
The record to keep
Keep boundaries in a private note. Report problems through the service’s process and provide only information needed for that report.
What this method can establish
This preparation guarantees neither identity nor intentions. It offers no intrusive investigation method and does not replace help appropriate to an individual situation.
Supporting documentation
Documentation consulted on
An editorial method, a fictional example and references for further reading.