One aspect beyond safety that is part of why I prefer (sometimes require) a recent clear photo before meeting:
I don't like being surprised by a stranger. I've never liked the idea of blind dates or anonymous encounters of any sort. I like to connect with people, and that involves some vulnerability on the parts of both people. The idea of having a strange face come and tap me on the shoulder to introduce themselves gives me some anxiety. The idea of trying to search a crowd for someone I have no idea what they look like triggers my social anxiety. It's silly, but I worry what if I go up to the wrong person? What if I hurt the person's feelings by not magically recognizing them?
Also -- I like being able to connect a face to a name and a "voice" in text, even if I never meet them in person. I like to be able to see people's personalities and creativity through their facial expressions, body language, and curation of photos. Even the use of filters can give me some insight into their values and aesthetic preferences. Are they the type of person who doesn't take photos seriously? Are they insecure about how they look, or about certain parts of themselves (so many of us are)? Do they like to be the center of attention, or prefer to be in the background? Do they treat their photos as a method of art and self-expression, or as a cut-and-dry way to communicate how they look to others?
I even enjoy seeing clearly outdated photos - it shows their evolution, what they valued historically and now. It can often lead to interesting conversations about why they are still using that old photo - maybe they felt particularly good in it, or it is tied to a special memory, or they feel like it represents the "true" them more than more recent photos do. I love being able to see younger versions of people, because aging is a privilege as much as a challenge. I like complexity, I like contradictions, I like the mess that is being a living, evolving human with complex thoughts and feelings.
I change my hairstyle often so I keep updated profile photos and the old ones I really like are in my public folder.
@CSnMUS87 lol just use the one we took a couple days ago! 😆😆