Forget the library, the office, and the local pub. In the last millennium, it might have been the norm to meet your life partners at school, at work, or through purposeful introductions by friends and family. These days, however, the Internet is the most powerful matchmaker.
Research shows that 30 percent of adults in the U.S. have used an online dating platform, with 23 percent of adults having dated somebody that they met online. Online dating is not just for fun either—12 percent of Americans have formed meaningful and committed relationships with a person that they met online.
Find Your Niche
The modern lovelorn have a variety of choices when it comes to meeting new people online. Dating websites play cupid, connecting singles with others that fit their preferences. Interactions may range from sending winks and text messages to participating in exclusive events.
Because we have different needs, there are platforms for various target audiences. Certain websites serve individuals holding a bachelor’s degree or higher, allowing executives to find a partner that fits their financial sensibilities. Others focus on mature singles over the age of 50.
You can enjoy online dating even if you are not looking for a long-term relationship. Apps such as Tinder have made a huge splash in the world of casual encounters, allowing individuals to easily hook up with someone they like the look of—as long as both parties ‘swipe right’.
Meanwhile, virtual world simulator Second Life is an online game where people can meet and form romantic relationships. While the game is not as popular as it was in its heyday, it now boasts a dedicated adult scene, which is interesting to say the least.
If you prefer tamer interactions in a more idyllic setting, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the most popular social games around. It has a pleasing 56 percent female to 44 percent male user ratio and has been the setting for many real-life engagements and weddings.
Game, Set, Match
The obvious benefit of online dating is that you cut to the chase. In a normal social setting, a measure of tiptoeing and pretense is expected before people can profess their interest in each other. With online dating, you can be straightforward and clear about your intentions.
Online dating also allows users to set their preferences and be directed to the most suitable candidates. You can choose your prospective date based on age range, ethnicity, religion, character traits, lifestyle habits, and even the type of town or city that they would like to live in.
When you match with someone, online dating provides you with just enough anonymity to ask the hard questions. Unlike meeting a friend of a friend and having to chat for hours before you discover that they hate something you love, online dating allows you to be brutal in your selection process.
For introverts, online dating is an effective avenue to take the first step in finding a soulmate. Getting to know each other online before meeting in person can help to jumpstart relationships. Particularly during pandemic times, it is also a safer and more efficient way to meet new people.
Different Strokes
Best of all, online dating provides a prescribed solution that suits your lifestyle. Some people are looking for friends with benefits while others seek someone to have and to hold for the rest of their lives. Wherever your interests fall, there is an online dating platform designed for it.
Online dating settings can also be much more diverse and welcoming for individuals from certain groups such as younger adults or people from the LGBTQ+ community. In fact, LGBTQ+ adults are almost twice as likely as heterosexual adults to use an online dating platform.
One of the reasons for this is that people outside of the heteronormative sphere can face unfair judgment and discrimination when seeking companionship. In certain areas, there may also be a very small population of LGBTQ+ individuals, resulting in the need to look further afield.
Therefore, there are now multiple online dating platforms dedicated to LGBTQ+ users. These websites and apps provide a safe and supportive space for their users to experience their gender and sexuality in their unique ways and find love without the burden of social stigma.
Report User
Although online dating has its definite perks, there are some downsides as well. It is often found that certain individuals lie about themselves to appear more desirable. This could be anything from changing their age and making up job titles to pretending not to be married.
Online dating users, particularly younger women, are also prone to being subject to harassment in the form of verbal abuse or unsolicited sexually explicit images. That said, the pros seem to outweigh the cons. As platforms clamp down on misrepresentation and harassment, these issues are occurring less frequently.
If you are an old-fashioned sort of person, meeting your wife or husband online may seem a little out of the ordinary. Yet, for the millions of users out there, online dating is a veritable part of the modern mating ritual. Whether you are seeking a one-night stand or a gay partner, online dating can help you to find love online.