(Online Dating Industry Journal) A new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project entitled, “Online Dating”, confirms the fact that online dating sites are just one of many online avenues that facilitate romantic connections between people. The report shows that there is now broad public awareness of the online dating world, and the internet users who are actively seeking dates have found a variety of ways to pursue their romantic interests online.
The report shows that 31% of American adults say they know someone who has used a dating website and 15% of American adults, which equates to about 30 million people, say they know someone who has been in a long-term relationship or married someone he or she met online.
Although online dating is now more common that ever, the report also indicated that there are still strong concerns in the wider public about the dangers of posting personal information on dating sites and about the honesty of those who pursue online dating. About 66% of internet users agree with the statement that online dating is dangerous because it puts personal information online. And 57% of internet users agree with the statement that a lot of people who use online dating sites lie about their marital status.
The survey found that those who describe themselves as single and looking for a partner comprise about 7% of the online adult population, about 10 million internet-using adults. Of these 10 million, 74% have done at least one dating-related activity online, such as using dating websites, searching for information about prospective dates, flirting via email and instant messaging, or browsing for information about the local singles scene.
“Those who are looking for dates have learned to use the internet both as a roadmap for the offline world and as a destination to meet people,” said Mary Madden, Research Specialist at the Pew Internet Project and co-author of the report.
About 16 million people, some 11% of internet users, say they have gone to dating websites and a majority of them say they have had positive experiences and believe their use of such sites helps them to find a better match. About 3 million of these internet users, 17%, say they have entered long-term relationships or married someone they met through the services.
Another distinguishing feature of the dating scene in the digital age is the newfound ability for singles to “Google” each other or search online for information relating to a potential date before they meet or even agree to meet. Of those internet users who are single and looking for romantic partners, 17% have searched for information about someone they were currently dating or were about to meet for a first date.
“Whether you meet someone offline or online, email and other forms of online communication now play host to some of the most crucial interactions in the early stages of a relationship,” said Amanda Lenhart, Senior Research Specialist and co-author of the report. It was found that 40% of single and looking internet users say they flirt online, and 28% have used the internet or email to ask someone out on a date.
However, many who use the websites don’t take that extra step to follow through with an in-person meeting. Just 43% of the online daters in the Pew Internet & American Life Project sample, about 7 million, said they had actually gone on a date with someone they met through the sites.
These findings are based on a national survey of 3,215 adults conducted last fall by the Pew Internet & American Life Project looking at the place of online dating in the larger picture of romance on the internet and relationships in America. The margin of error for responses based on all adults is ± 2 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.
Kim's Comments:
The full report, which you can find here, is full of quite a bit of detailed information, useful for most in the industry. It is plain to see that online dating services are not doing enough to insure that, with proper steps, online dating can be a safe and rewarding experience. With 66% of internet users believing that online dating is dangerous because it puts personal information online and 57% of internet users think that a lot of people who use online dating sites lie about their marital status, sites need to put a greater focus on teaching users how to stay safe, and how online dating can, in fact, be safe as long as you take some extra precautions.
Also, while the results show the growth in popularity of online dating services, it also recognizes that online chat, email, etc. play a huge role in how we interact in our relationships. People now ask others out through email or flirt through IM, and, best of all, finding a relationship partner online is no longer viewed as a last result. We have known this for quite some time, but these statistics are further proof that the way we build, develop, and strengthen relationships is, in part, just as dependent on online technologies as with more traditional means.
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