Hornet General Safety Tips

Hornet is the world’s gay social network with over 40 million diverse users, providing a community home base that is available anytime, anywhere.

We all live in different countries with different cultures, and the acceptance of the LGBTQ community therefore differs widely. We want our users to feel comfortable sharing their experiences with friends who understand and validate their lives. However, with such wide variance in how we are treated, it is important that we all stay safe and lessen the risk of danger.  We encourage you to make friends, learn about the LGBT community (in your city and around the world), and even discover more about yourself – regardless of your closet status.

Sadly, being gay can be illegal or at least very dangerous in some parts of the world. In these places, Hornet may be the only source of community where one can turn to, and we strive to make it a safe space for everyone. We have two sets of safety tips. This one is more general and applies to people in all countries. For safety advice for users in countries where it is illegal to be gay, or, where governments and law enforcement may persecute gay people, please go here

These are our general safety tips:

Online Behaviors:
  • Fact-check. Check for Verification on the profile. Ask for multiple social media accounts to verify it is the same person. Also, be sure to ask for more than one photo.
  • Be smart. If you end up connecting on other social sites like Facebook or Instagram, check how many friends or followers they have, how many photos they have posted, and how long since the last one was published. If the account only shows modeling photos, that’s a big sign that they may not be genuine.
  • Verify further. Get to know them slowly and over time. Relate the pictures to discussed changes, life events, sporting events, or anything that gives you a sense of trust with the information you see, and the information that you have received from them.
  • Find out if they’re real as soon as possible (video call). You can meet them online using a video messaging service like Facetime, Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp even Facebook Messenger.
  • If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you feel like you’re talking to your dream person but your guards are up and it feels too good, then slow down, ask questions, and get to know them. If they’re defensive to this, that isn’t a good sign.
  • Is he already in love with you? If he immediately starts declaring that you are the love of his life when you have barely exchanged messages, be mindful.
  • You don’t have to say yes. You can say no without being rude; safety comes first. Don’t be afraid that it will offend someone who is pursuing you beyond your comfort level. No means no.
  • Tell your friends about the online relationship. Share details about who you’re talking to and when.
  • Check your gut. If your body is telling you to be cautious, try to figure out why. Find answers to what’s making you uncomfortable BEFORE the meeting.
  • Get their real name BEFORE the meeting.
  • Use Find Friends and BSafe. Share your location with your best friend, check in after your fantastic date, and even make plans to spill all the details later.
  • Be sure that you both agree about meetup expectations.
  • If you are in a country where it is illegal to be gay, or you could face persecution from family members, then be careful about sharing a face photo in your public photos. Keep them for your private photos. There have been cases of people looking at gay apps to find gay people. See our specific safety tips here, if you are in one of these countries.
Offline Behaviors:
  • Meet them someplace public and safe.
  • Prepare yourself to say no, just in case you have to.
  • Pre-arrange for a friend to call you. If you need to say no, it is the perfect opportunity to say there is an emergency and you have to leave.
  • Hide your valuables and try not to bring them on first dates.
  • Don’t get drunk and think twice about drugs, especially at first meetings.
  • If you want to go home with him, get the address and text it to a friend. Check the address on Google Maps. Make sure that is the address he takes you to.
  • If you do go to someone’s place, and food or drinks are offered, please accept food or beverages with COMPLETE CAUTION. It is okay to say no.

Further Help, Support, or Advice:

If you are in any way worried or suspicious about someone on Hornet, we are here to help. Simply report the profile inside the app. If you want to give us more information, write to us at feedback@hornet.com

If there is any person or group that is a danger to our community, we want to know about it. We have many procedures in place to ensure these people are never on the app, however, we can never guarantee this. Write to us. Tell us why the person is a danger. 

If you experience an immediate threat or attack, contact your local law enforcement straightaway – it is better to be safe.

Important: If you live in an area where it is illegal to be gay, please check out our specific safety tips here

If you cannot find a solution in our FAQ, please write to us at feedback@hornet.com. It is important that you include your Account ID so that we can trace your account. Your Account ID is located on your profile, on the top center of the screen, and begins with the “@” symbol.

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