TRENDING

In a world where we're constantly communicating with others online, it's not always easy to know *exactly* who someone is. Sure, a little blue check mark allows us to know who's who on social media, but what about in the comments section of a YouTube video? Or on the message boards of your fave TV show? Really, who's to say that the virtual bestie you chat with everyday on Tumblr is *actually* who they claim to be?

We always think it'll never happen to us or anyone we know—until it happens. Warriena Wright from New Zealand was only 26 years old when she matched with Gable Tostee on Tinder in Australia. Neither of them, it seems, expected the night to end with Warriena falling 14 stories to her death from Tostee's balcony.

That happened two years ago. Now, Tostee is on trial for her murder. A 199-minute recording on his phone is being used by both the prosecution and the defense in the case. Before she fell, the Tinder date turned violent, so Tostee locked Wright out on the balcony despite her pleas to leave. The prosecution attests that Tostee had intimidated Wright enough that she attempted to climb her way down the balcony, resulting in her death. The defense insists, however, that Tostee locked Wright on the balcony to protect himself from her hitting him anymore. 

No matter how you spin it, this online meeting resulted in the death of a young woman. This story is a reminder that it's important to practice caution when meeting up with people that you do not know.

Here are a few things to remember if you're thinking of meeting up with an online buddy IRL.

Tell your parents. Never meet a virtual friend without informing your parents first. If you're worried they'll disapprove or that they won't allow you to go, it's only because they've heard stories like Warriena Wright's.

Bring a friend. Even if this is supposed to be a date, you should not meet anyone you haven't met IRL alone. Bring your bestie along with you to make sure you're in a safe situation.

Meet in a public place. Grab a table at Starbucks during the day and get to know them over coffee. Do *not* meet up at their home (or anywhere similar) at night. (Besides, at Starbucks you can order a delicious Salted Caramel Mocha.)

Avoid giving out personal info. Never tell anyone you don't know very well your address, where you go to school or any super personal deets. Again, this is why it's important to meet in a public space and not your home.

Leave if you get bad vibes. As soon as you get that *icky* feeling, ditch the situation immediately. Your gut is always right.

Have you ever met an online friend IRL? How did you stay safe? Tell us about it in the comments.

by Sydney Adamson | 10/17/2016