Online dating has become a million dollar industry, with thousands of dating sites in the United States alone. A variety of different sites exist: some charge a fee to join, some are free, and some speak to a niche population. Some sites use algorhythms and science to match people based on similar personality traits and lifestyles, while others allow users to seek out other users on their own instead of providing "matches."
Research during this project has highlighted a few common issues when it comes to online dating. Charles Prince, owner of Tuscon Matchmakers, who was interviewed in the news story linked above, discusses the issue with self-presentation and trust online. Prince says, "People write a profile, and it's not necessarily really who they are. So really when you go choose somebody you're choosing somebody based on who wrote the best profile, and who has the best picture."
This may be the case, but there's also more than what meets the eye when it comes to dating. In both the real world and the digital world, it can be hard to figure out who a person really is. Is online dating really that much different than traditional dating? Trust is an issue no matter what channel you use to meet people.
So, the big question: does online dating work? Of course, there's no promise it will (no matter what the advertisements tell you.) Just like dating in the real world, online dating does not always work. But, just like the real world, it DOES work for some people! At the very least, it's a nice option to have. Later posts in this blog will examine both positive and negative personal stories of online dating.
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