Texting tips for Valentine's Day
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-02-12 09:49

Britons texting St Valentine's Day love messages next Tuesday should be careful they don't send them to the wrong person.

A poll of 3,000 mobile phone users that found 40 percent will be texting rather than sending cards and that one in four have misdirected a provocative text or photo.

Recipients of the unwanted texts include bosses or colleagues (9 percent) parents (3 percent) and perhaps most embarrassing of all -- ex-partners (2 percent).

The study for student phone service dot mobile revealed eight in ten 18-25 year olds have sent a flirty text message within the last year, with a third indulging in "text sex."

The survey found 60 percent of respondents had sent a flirty text to someone other than their regular partner although not without consequences for many of them.

Of those who admitted cheating, 65 percent had been caught out by their mobile, with a third saying their partner had read incriminating text messages.

With loved-up texters getting ready for the big day, dot mobile has come up with a few tips:

-- Keep flirty messages short.

-- Observe the two-day rule: get in touch after meeting someone within two days, no longer.

-- Do not drink and text.

-- Avoid over-use of emoticons and jargon.

-- "Xs" at the end of messages should not exceed three.

-- Be careful about picture messaging which others may get their hands on.

-- Adhere to the two text rule; Admit defeat if you have not received a reply after 12 hours and two texts.