Is Online Dating More Acceptable Now?
Rewind a few years ago. Remember the huge stigma that followed online dating? It seemed like almost every couple that had met online said they’d met at a local bar or Barnes & Noble to cover up the truth. But it wasn’t long before the fictional first date stories stopped, and the taboo that surrounded finding love in cyberspace began to fade away. Still think the stigma is real? Well, you might be in the minority this time. Dating sites are known for their grey areas, but more people are logging on than ever before. So is online dating more acceptable today? Recent numbers suggest that most people are starting to approve.
Modern Dating Studies Say, Yes
Just last month, a study was published from the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project, which showed that the black cloud is finally subsiding. Now as much as 59 percent of internet users agree that online dating is a good way to meet people; that’s up 15 percent since I was a high school student back in 2005. Today, about one in every 10 Americans (11 percent of American adults) either use a mobile dating app or online dating site, and this includes 38 percent of Americans who say they’re single and looking. Though there are still many negatives in the online dating world, the public perspective has shifted.
Is it Worth It?
Is online dating more acceptable now than it was a few years ago? As they say in sports, numbers don’t lie. But hold the phone. Just because it is more acceptable now it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s improving or promising success. Women especially are bombarded with hundreds of meaningless, crude messages the moment they sign up for these apps.
Personally, I’m not sure that I’m ready to succumb to the times on this one. However, many of my own friends are starting to encourage online dating, and that’s up from 0 percent in 2010. So is online dating more acceptable now? Well, it’s certainly more common. The question really is: Is it worth it? Only you can decide. Amidst all the red flags, half-naked photos and grammar nightmares who knows, you just might find someone.
To view the full study visit Pew Internet.
About the Author/s
Michael is the Editor-in-Chief of New Jersey Digest, COO of X Factor Media, and an avid writer. Growing up in Bergen County, he discovered his passion for words while in Friday detention. Michael loves kayaking, a fat glass of Nebbiolo, and over-editing.
