Before apps became the default, I owned and ran three online dating websites. That experience is where a lot of the perspective behind Nightmare Dates began.
Then
Three dating sites.
I built and ran online dating websites in the website era, before swiping became the main event.
Now
Stories with context.
I no longer own those sites. Nightmare Dates is a place for the funny, frustrating and baffling reality of modern dating.
Background
SEO & technology.
I studied computers at Sheffield University and have spent more than two decades working in SEO and tech.
Why write about dating?
Because the group-chat recap is often where the useful bit appears. Dating can be ridiculous, but it can also leave people confused, embarrassed or vulnerable to a scam. The site makes room for both: the stories that make you laugh, and the practical advice that helps you spot nonsense early.
My earlier work was with dating websites, not the app-first world we have now. That does not make me an oracle, but it does mean I have seen how online dating behaviour, incentives and bad actors have changed over time.
A small promise
Nightmare Dates will stay human. Stories are moderated, people can ask for content to be removed, and nobody needs to send money to prove they are interested.