Just a few decades ago dating someone you just interacted with online would have been unfathomable. But today online dating is in vogue. The interaction of the rapidly changing social landscape with the advancements in
Just a few decades ago dating someone you just interacted with online would have been unfathomable. But today online dating is in vogue. The interaction of the rapidly changing social landscape with the advancements in technology brought the matchmaking industry online. Today this industry has over 300 million users.
Evolution:
In the cuffing season of 1965, two Harvard students created a survey which would then be mailed and the users would receive matches generated by computer. In 1995, Match.com became the first online datingwebsite. The boom of social media in the 2000s with Facebook, Twitter, etc. paved an easy way for Tinder’s consumer base in 2012.
Big players:
Online- dating services broadly fall into two categories- one where users fill in questionnaires which are then used for compatibility pairings and the other where you link your social media account and their profiles are automatically populated. Also based on your there are now different apps and websites for different needs.Tinder is the most popular dating app in the arena but has maximum users of the 18-29 age demographic. Match is popular with the 30-44 age group. OkCupid, Plenty of Fish, etc. are some other leading players. For serious relationships, eHarmony is considered the best and you also have Hinge for quality interactions.
Societal impacts:
Dating apps have fairly contributed to the diversification of the match-making industry to assemble people from various races and ethnicities under one roof, allowing all of them to know more about each other. Josue Ortega and Phillip Hergovich presented the same argument in a paper published in Physics and Society, concluding that interracial marriages would increase as a result of the new social ties introduced by online dating. What further remains to be seen is its role in an increasingly multipolar world.
It has also increased the comfort level for the LGBTQ+ community to find matches according to their sexual orientation. As awareness is escalated about this community over the globe, dating apps have certainly contributed to empowering them to find a loved match.
Conclusion:
The fluttering of your heart, the nervousness and joy of just talking to ‘the one’, the romantic dates and corny lines. Who doesn’t love being in love? And what better than finding your Mi Amor from the comforts of your home? Online dating makes it possible.
Don’t believe in love? That’s fine! You can still use this service to find and meet new people. You can still forge real connections in a virtual world.