Do Online Dating Sites Work?
Every day, people in various stages of desperation log in to their accounts on eHarmony, Yahoo Personals, Date.com, Match.com, or hundreds of other such sites hoping to find an e-mail from some stranger who they pray will become their true soulmate.
Unfortunately, rarely does that happen. Commonly, contact with another online seeker will lead to nothing but dashed hopes. Such is the reality in the relatively new phenomenon of online dating.
The concept of looking for a soulmate online harks back to the mid-90's, when the Internet was in its nascent form in terms of widespread consumer use. Among the groundbreakers was Match.com, which was established on April 21, 1995. The Web site is now a massive conglomerate, boasting of about one million paying subscribers from in excess of 246 countries. It is estimated that more than 60,000 new people across six continents join up on the site every day, joining the 15 million people who already have accounts. The parent company now presides over 30 dating sites in 18 local languages.
While Match.com is one of the most popular dating sites, others have experienced similar massive growth in user participation and subscribership. There seems to be no end of people who are willing to put their life's details online for anyone with an Internet connection to view.
But, is this development a healthy one? Does Web-based dating represent a positive development in male-female interaction? Many experienced users of such sites say 'No', positing that the cons far outweigh the pros.
It is the established practice of lying that forms the basis of most complaints. You simply can't put much credence in what you see and read in a person's dating profile because it is far too easy for a person to untruthfully present himself or herself.
Lying to gain an advantage, especially when seeking a mate, has been going on for a long time. On dating sites, it has been proven that by falsely placing a picture of a more handsome or beautiful person in a profile, and/or by dramatically overstating one's income, an online dater can exponentially increase the number of daily responses that he or she receives.
So, the race to the bottom continues and Internet dating sites march on. Despite its glaring deficiencies as a communication medium, lots of people around the globe are signing up each and every day. It seems that as long as the Internet exists, would-be romantics will frequent it, hoping to find that life-enhancing hookup.
About the Author
Matthew Paolini is Citybook.com's technical director for the Minneapolis, MN online Yellow Pages division.
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