OnLulu.com
The general consensus on this maligned term typically conjures images of overweight, middle aged men creating elaborately fake profiles from the comfort of their basement apartments.
Not anymore.
One particular program has generated alot of interest: Lulu.
Most of these apps are generally male-oriented, but Lulu is controlled by women. CEO Alexandra Chong started the app one year ago after having a chat with her friends about their numerous bad dates, according to a recent New York Times article.
The way the system works is that women can browse through pictures of guys and attach a multitude of hashtags that can range from flattering to insulting. This contributes to an overall score. Guys can retaliate and add tags too but that won't affect their rating.
So how can a guy survive on Lulu? These matchmakers, who specialize in online dating, have some advice for the unsuspecting twenty-somethings who may be the target of this hashtag onslaught.
Laurie Davis, founder and CEO of eFlirt Expert, specializes in a comprehensive process for customers interested in online dating. From creating profiles to writing emails, eFlirt handles a variety of outlets for those who are interested in trying online dating.
Laurie recommends that guys should just be mindful of the women they date. Of course, a woman can post negative things if you treat them badly but Davis mentions that women typically are honest within this community and want to help out their "virtual gal pals".
However, Davis offered a few tips for guys to manage their scores. First, download the companion app Luludude. Select the pictures from Facebook you upload carefully since three or four images can say alot about your personality. (Lulu gets all its data from your Facebook profile.) Don't attach your own hashtags though. Davis elaborates that this is not meant to be a dating profile and installing your own tags will not improve your bad score.
Davis embraces the idea of friends scanning your profile and offering insight. Ask them to look it over on Luludude and see if they have any input to improve what you've written. By having them write a review or two of you, this will paint a wider picture of who you are as a person.
Suzanne K. Okishima, Dream Bachelor & Bachelorette founder, echoed similar sentiments as Laurie did. Men should just be themselves. Be mindful of their behavior in order to ensure that they can achieve high scores.
As every aspect of our culture begins a shift towards a more digital world, it's natural for more problems to arise. One important thing to remember though is that there is not always an app that can solve it.