| Personals Help 101 |
Welcome to Hooksexup Personals, the personals for people who don't need personals it's flirting, redefined. Below you'll find some of the most common questions asked, and our best attempts at answering them. Feel free to jump right in and start using the Personals straight away, though we think you'll find they're pretty self-explanatory. Let the games begin . . .
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Minimum Software and Hardware Requirements
Logging In/Account Information
Creating and Editing Personal Profiles
Responding to Profiles and Messages
Photos in Profiles
Rules and Safety Tips
Personals Features
Still got a question?
Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements
What are the minimum software and hardware requirements to use the personals?
We've tested our site extensively on multiple operating systems and browser configurations. However, depending on the individual configurations of each computer system, we can't guarantee that the site will work with every system.
Minimum requirements:
- You must use either a PC or MAC.
- Currently, we do not support WebTV. WebTV users may experience errors and have trouble submitting forms or accessing pages.
- Windows 95 or higher
- Netscape 4.x or higher
- Internet Explorer 5.x or higher
- JavaScript and cookies must be enabled. If you are using IE, please ensure that your browser security setting is set to medium or low, since higher settings will disable javacript and cookies automatically.
- Minimum 28.8K modem
Additional compatibility issues:
Norton Internet Security, configurations of software firewalls or ad-blocking programs that control content or disable pop-ups or ads may prevent the site from functioning properly.
If you have any additional questions regarding technical issues, please click here to access our help form.
Why can't I see profile links or links to responses?
If links to profiles or responses are missing, this usually means that javascript needs to be enabled in your browser. Please check your browser settings and ensure that javascript and cookies are enabled. If you are running a firewall or Norton Internet Security, please ensure that the software is allowing javascript.
Logging In
What's my membername/password?
If you've forgotten your membername or password, click here.
Why can't I log into the Personals?
If you are sure that you are at the site you registered at and you are entering the correct membername and password and you still can't log in, this is probably because you have cookies turned off on your browser. We use cookies to keep you logged in across the Personals. You will need to set your browser to accept cookies in order to stay logged in. You can set your browser to accept cookies in the "Preferences" menu of your browser. (We only use cookies that are sent back to themselves, and we only use them to keep you logged in: we don't track any information from them. Click here to read our Privacy Vow.)
You should also ensure that javascript is enabled in your browser since we utilize javascript to allow you to submit your login information in addition to other forms on the site.
Why can't I log in through a different Spring Street partner site?
You must log in through the site that you originally signed up with. Accounts are non-transferable between Spring Street Networks' partners.
Why is the system informing me that my email address is in use and not allowing me to join?
Spring Street Networks is an online personals network that partners with content sites like Hooksexup. Hooksexup Personals are powered by Spring Street Networks; click here for a current list of all Spring Street Networks partners (note that this list is subject to change at any time). Hooksexup is part of this network and we only allow users to sign up with unique email addresses. If you have already joined another personals website powered by Spring Street Networks, you cannot use the same email address to create a new account.
When you browse or search profiles, you will see results from all Spring Street Network members. All Spring Street Networks partners abide by the same Terms of Service, Member Etiquette and Privacy Vow. For more information on Spring Street Networks, click here.
How do I access my account information to change my password or email address?
Your primary Hooksexup account information is accessible through the "account status" link on the bottom of each page outside of the personals. This is where you'll be able to change your password, email address and Hooksexup newsletter opt-in preferences. Please note that you will be sent a confirmation email when you change your email address. You must re-confirm your account by clicking on the link we send in the confirmation email in order to access your account.
Your personals account information is separate from your primary Hooksexup account information and is accessible by clicking on the "my account" link at the bottom of each personals page. This is where you can find out how many credits are in your account and where you can change your Spring Street newsletter opt-in preferences.
How do I subscribe to/unsubscribe from the newsletter?
To subscribe to or unsubscribe from newsletters from Hooksexup and Spring Street Network's partners and friends, click on the my account link at the bottom of any page in Personals and follow the instructions there. In addition to these updates, you may receive very occasional emails regarding urgent site updates. These rare updates will be sent to all members, including those who opted out of receiving all newsletters, promotions and status reports. The updates will be limited to information that is critical to your usage of Hooksexup Personals and its personals partner sites, e.g. changes to the Privacy Vow, updates to the Terms of Service or new instructions for logging in. If you don't want to receive any of these updates (though we don't recommend it), please email from the email account that you used when you registered with Hooksexup Personals.
What is Spring Street Networks?
Spring Street Networks is an online personals network that partners with content sites like Hooksexup . The Hooksexup Personals are powered by Spring Street Networks; click here for a current list of all Spring Street Networks partners (note that this list is subject to change at any time). When you browse profiles, you will see results from all Spring Street Network members; however, when you use the search form, you will be given the opportunity to search only those personals profiles posted by Hooksexup members. All Spring Street Networks partners abide by the same Terms of Service, Member Etiquette and Privacy Vow. For more information on Spring Street Networks, click here.
Creating and Editing Personal Profiles
Why does my nickname have to be different from my account name?
This is for your own privacy and protection: it lets you choose how much information you want to reveal, when you want to reveal it and to whom you want to reveal it. (Don't worry, your membername is reserved so that no one else can build a personal with that name either.)
Can I change my nickname?
No, but you can create a new profile with a new nickname. If you no longer like your personals nickname, you can either hide or delete that profile and create a new one.
Can I correct my gender and/or birthdate?
If you filled out your gender and/or birthdate incorrectly during registration, please send your membername (not your personal profile name), the email address associated with your account and the correct gender and/or birthdate in mm/dd/yyyy format (e.g. 11/26/1973) to . We'll correct the mistake(s) and let you know when the changes are complete via email.
Can I have more than one personal profile?
Sure, you can have as many different nicknames as you like! Perhaps you'd like to try out different approaches to see which works best for you. You can only have one nickname online in the Instant Gratifier at any time, but you can change that as often as you like by clicking on the "edit profile" button and following the instructions there.
How do I update my profile?
Click on the "edit" button, select the profile you'd like to edit (if you have more than one profile) and then make any changes you'd like. Here's a handy tip: in the "browse" section of Personals, profiles are listed in order of most recently created/updated, so if you want your profile to appear near the top, it's a good idea to update it every now and then.
Why do I have to create an profile to reply to an profile or use the Instant Gratifier?
While we never reveal your true identity or email address to other members, it is nice if they know a little bit about you when they hear from you via the Personals or Instant Gratifier. We don't ask much the only mandatory fields are age, gender, location and your relationship and gender preferences. And, if you don't want your profile viewable by everyone, just select the "hide" option on the "create/edit" page and your profile will be viewable only to people who you contact or respond to in Personals and the Instant Gratifier.
How do I hide my profile?
Click on the "edit profile" button and follow the instructions on the page.
If I reply to an profile when my profile is hidden, can the person I replied to see my hidden profile?
Yes. Even if your profile is hidden, it is viewable by members who you have contacted or responded to via the Instant Gratifier or Personals. But they are the only ones who can see it. It is important that the person you are contacting know a little about you (gender, location, etc.), which is why we ask everyone to create a basic profile before reponding to Personals and using the Instant Gratifier. However, we understand that not everyone wants a public personal profile, which is why we offer the "hide" function. To hide or unhide your profile at any time, click on the "edit" link and follow the instructions on that page.
How do I unhide my profile?
Click on the "edit" button and follow the instructions on the page.
How do I delete my profile?
Click on the "edit" button and follow the instructions on the page.
What if I don't want to answer all the questions in the personal profile form?
No problem! Just leave those fields blank and they won't show up on your profile (except for the mandatory fields that are in bold).
What if we are a couple who wants to post an profile?
Every profile has to be associated with either a man or a woman; however, you can select "couple" in the "Relationship status" field when you build your profile. You can also search by this field on the search form if you are looking for a couple.
What does "discreet" mean in the "relationship status" field?
Ahem. That's for married or otherwise committed people who are looking to have a "discreet" affair. We guess it implies low commitment or something. To each their own.
What does "play" mean in the "Looking for" fields?
Select play if you're looking for some "adult" fun.
What does "Publish my profile (including photo) in print" mean?
By creating a personal profile with this box checked (it appears on the "create profile" form), you are granting us permission to publish your Personal photo in any of our partner print publications. If we publish your profile with your photo, we will give you 5 complimentary credits to use online. If you don't want us to use your photo, uncheck the box now and we won't. You can also come back later and uncheck the box; please note, however, that if you uncheck the box after previewing or saving a new profile, the change will not be effective for 8 weeks (due to print publication lead times). ( Click here for a list of Hooksexup 's current personals partners. Note that this partners list is subject to change at any time; this feature is applicable to all current and future partners.)
We may excerpt text quotes from any personal profile, along with the Personals nickname, and feature them in profiles, supplements and content pages in any Hooksexup print publication and the print publications of its personals partners.
Responding to Profiles and Messages
When I respond to a personal profile, is my email address included?
No, the personals are completely private and anonymous.
How do I respond to a personal profile?
Just click on the "reply to profile" link that appears on every profile. You will either have to pay one credit to respond to an profile, or make a "collect call" and hope that they are willing to pick up the cost!
What are credits?
Credits are the currency on this site and use them to respond to personal profiles and initiate sessions in the Instant Gratifier. If you don't have any credits and you try to respond to a personal profile or send someone an IG note, you will be taken to the "Buy Credits" page where you can choose which credits package you would like to purchase.
How do I know how many credits I have left?
Click on the "my account" link at the bottom of any page in the Personals to find out how many credits you have left in your account.
How much do the Personals cost to use?
It's free to browse, search and post your own profiles! The Dirt, Em & Lo Down and Horoscopes sections are all free, too. And if someone replies to your profile(s) or sends you an IG note, it's always free for you to reply to them. In order to reply to a response for free, you must use the "respond to response" link on the actual response. If you click on the "reply to profile" button on the profile itself, you will be charged for your reply.
It costs one credit to initiate a response to an profile, and two credits to initiate a thirty-minute session in the Instant Gratifier.
What is a collect call?
If you don't want to spend the credit to respond to someone's profile, try sending them a collect call and see if they're willing to foot the bill. Note: if you send a collect call, you're more likely to get a response if you've filled out a lot of information in your personal profile and uploaded a photograph so they know you're worth responding to.
How do I respond to a collect call?
Just click "reply" and you'll be asked if you want to spend the one credit to reply. If you don't feel like replying, just ignore it and you won't have to spend a thing.
What does it mean if someone is "online now"?
Exactly that it means that they're logged into the personals right now. Which means that you can send them a note via the Instant Gratifier and say hi!
What is the Instant Gratifier?
The Instant Gratifier is just that a way to chat with your fellow members who are online in personals right now. It's like an instant messenger, localized to this personals site. If you have a nice time IG-ing with someone, don't forget to add them to your Hot List so you'll be alerted the next time they're online! The console (in the bottom left corner of your screen, in the frame to the left of the banner ad) will always let you know (after you've logged in) how many people are online, and how many new messages you have. The pop-up window (which opens as soon as you click on any of the buttons in the console, or any IG buttons anywhere else on the site) is where you can send and read messages and find out if your friends are online. Click here to find out more about the Instant Gratifier.
How do I know if someone has replied to my profile?
You'll receive an email in your inbox (to the email address you gave us when you signed up for this site) letting you know as soon as someone has responded to your profile. Then, you can log in and click on "check responses" to read what your secret admirer has to say.
How can I change the email address that the response notifications come to?
Click on the "my account" link at the bottom of any page on the site and change the address that is listed there.
Will anyone ever be able to find out who I am if I don't want them to?
No. Any information you give out is completely up to you. The personals are private and anonymous. Click here to read our Privacy Vow.
Can I prevent someone from answering my profile?
No, but you don't have to respond to anyone if you don't feel like it! If you feel you are being harassed by a fellow Personals member, please send an email with your specific complaint using our help form (don't forget to choose the "abuse" category) and we'll look into it.
You can also send an email to our Customer Service Department at and we will investigate the matter and take appropriate action.
I put up an profile and no one responded to it. Am I a loser or what?
Did you add a photo? That will dramatically improve your chances of getting a response. The more information you include, the better. Also, if you haven't updated your profile in a while, people might assume you're no longer looking. Anyway, don't just sit there waiting for someone to respond to your profile get out there and start replying to profiles yourself!
Photos in Profiles
How do I add a photo to my profile?
Click on the "edit profile" button, select the profile you'd like to add a photo to (if you have more than one profile) and then follow the instructions at the bottom of the page for uploading a photo.
I'm having trouble uploading my photo.
Photo files can be no more than 40k in size and can be no larger than 400x400 pixels. If you're having problems uploading the file, you can send them to us. Click here for instructions.
How do I change my photo?
Just upload a new photo, and it will replace the photo that is already there.
How do I hide my photo?
Click on the "edit profile" button and follow the instructions on the page.
How do I delete my photo?
You can't, sorry! But you can hide it or replace it. Once it's hidden, no one will be able to view your photo unless you decide to unhide it.
Can I include a photograph in my response to someone's profile?
No, but you can put a photograph in your profile. If you don't want everyone to see your photograph, just "hide" your profile (on the "edit" page) and then your profile and photograph will only be visible to members whose profile you respond to, or to members you contact via the Personals Instant Gratifer.
Rules and Safety Tips
What are the rules about what I can put in my profile?
Just be yourself. Commercial use of the Personals is not permitted. And please don't post images of genitalia or depictions of sexually explicit conduct some of us are trying to eat. For more details, check out our Terms of Service, Member Etiquette and Privacy Vow.
I think I found a fake profile, what do I do?
If you find something that you feel is not in the spirit of this community, you can send an email with your specific complaint using our help form (don't forget to choose the "abuse" category). You can also send an email to our Customer Service Department at and we will investigate the matter and take appropriate action.
I think that someone is abusing the Personals, what can I do?
If you find something that you feel is not in the spirit of this community or is in violation of the Terms of Service, you can send an email with your specific complaint using our help form (don't forget to choose the "abuse" category).
You can also send an email with the subject "Abuse Report" to and our Customer Service Department will investigate the matter and take appropriate action. Please include your full name, the email associated with your account, the personals nickname(s) of the alleged abuser, and a detailed description of the abuse.
Do you have any safety tips for using the Personals?
Funny you should ask! We have a new page of Safety Tips and Helpful Hints for using the Personals from Em & Lo. But here's a quick run-through of the basics: For your own protection, you should not place any contact information in your profile or any initial online exchanges (this includes your email address, ICQ number, home and work addresses, phone number, etc.). If you decide to meet up with someone from the Personals, make sure you choose a public place where you know there will be other people around, and make sure you tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.
Personals Features
Can you advise me on my love life?
We can try! Send your questions to here for the Em & Lo Down: we can't answer every question we receive (especially not the really tricky ones) but we'll extend a helping hand at least once a week right here.
What is the Em & Lo Down?
It's more of an empathy column than an advice column: write to Em & Lo here for advice, tips, words of wisdom, recipes once a week, we'll answer your cries for help right here.
What is Dirt?
That's where members spill the beans about love, lust and luck in the personals. Testimonials, good and bad. Read some here. Send yours here
Does the future look good for me?
Why don't you see what our horoscopes have to say about that?
I never get any results on "Match Yourself." Why not?
Is it possible that you're being a little too picky? Or maybe your height and weight requirements are just a tad unrealistic? Try widening the scope of a few of the fields in the "What I'm looking for" area and see if that helps.
How do I get to be the featured profile?
Think you're something special? Want to have the spotlight on your profile? First of all, we only feature profiles with photos, so make sure you have a photo. (Profiles with photos tend to get a much better response rate, anyway.) If you'd like your profile and photo to be featured, let us know via our help form (don't forget to choose the "feature my profile" category). We can't make any promises (and we can't respond to all mail that we receive), but we'll certainly check it out!
Still got a question?
Damn, we thought we covered everything! Click here to fill out our help request form.
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