Despite the current economic downturn, the online dating industry continues to flourish. While the social stigma concerning dating apps weakens by the day and they become more widely accepted, dating apps are however not 100% safe. But, let us not discourage you from looking for your potential partner online because it has been a viable answer for many.
For the last two-plus years, people hoping to meet their soulmate in person have had a rough time. Lockdowns and uncertainty about social gatherings have led many people to turn to dating apps. People who feel they have lost months or years of their dating life may be eager to avoid the perils of dating apps – ghosting, backburner relationships, or just wasting time chatting with the wrong people.
Nor is it difficult to convince such people that opposites attract in certain crucial ways. OkCupid uses both a websiteanda handy app, so you can find matches from your computer or straight from your phone if you prefer.
There are also plenty of online dating websites and apps you can choose from, making it easy to get into the online dating world. Attitudes towards online dating improved visibly between 2005 and 2015, the Pew Research Center found. Although only a negligible number of people dated online in 2005, that rose to 11% in 2013 and then 15% in 2015. This increase was driven mainly by people aged 18 to 24, for whom usage almost tripled. At the same time, usage among those between the ages of 55 and 64 doubled.
All of this information, in the wrong hands, can be used to track online dating users and their families online and offline, to crack their accounts by guessing passwords, for blackmail, and more. What’s more, this risky sharing happens faster than you might expect. Dating apps can lead to superficiality and ghosting, but there are also many positives. “While online dating has some potential for pitfalls compared to meeting people in real life, the volume of possibilities is much higher,” says Bobby. “That increases the chances that you’ll meet someone you’re truly compatible with.” Negative experiences – Just as with meeting people in-person, there is always a chance for negative occurrences with online dating. According to a 2013 Pew Internet study of adults using online dating, 42% of women reported having been contacted by someone who made them feel harassed or uncomfortable (cited in Vandeweerd et al., 2016).
