Should I Try Online Dating?: The Pros and Cons of Online Dating

Dating services have been around since the 1700s when people used to create advertisements for publications as to why they are a good match. Then when the videocassette was invented, people used to submit videocassettes of them talking about themselves which would then get sent to potential matches. This then evolved to online dating due to the invention of the Internet and ever-evolving technology. The Internet has given people the power to talk to whoever they want online, which has opened the doors for scammers to create fake profiles and talk to who they want to online. This has left people wondering… “should I try online dating?”

Who Has Tried Online Dating?

According to the Pew Research Center, 30% of adults have admitted to trying online dating out of 4,860 U.S. adults who have been surveyed. Out of those adults, 23% of them have admitted to going on a date with someone they have met online. 12% of adults who have dated online admitted to getting into a serious relationship or marrying someone they met online. Out of people who identify as straight or a part of the LGBT community, 28% of straight people have admitted to online dating compared to 55% of people from the LGBT community.

Throughout this survey, people were asked to pick the age range in which they fell under. These age ranges include 18-29-year-olds, 30-49-year-olds, 50-64-year-olds, and 65+-year-olds. The age group that had the most people who have tried online dating was 18-29-year-olds at 48% followed by 30-49-year-olds with 38% of people who admitted to trying online dating.

Out of the people who have tried online dating, 57% of people had a positive experience with online dating while 42% of people had a negative experience with online dating. Many people liked online dating due to the easy experience they had with finding people who were attractive, shared their interests, wanted to meet them in person or on a video call, and looking for the same things. While many people had a positive experience, there are some cons to online dating too such as pricing, fake profiles, scammers, lying, or limited features. Keep reading to read more about the pros and cons of online dating.

The Pros and Cons of Online Dating

Pros of Online Dating

• It’s easy to scroll through matches from the comfort of your home.
• There are plenty of attractive people to choose from.
• It’s easy to see who shares the same interests as you.
• You can match with locals and go on dates with people you meet online.
• You can message people to see if they want the same things as you.

Cons of Online Dating

• People can lie about who they are on dating apps.
• Scammers can create fake profiles and trick you into believing they are real people.
• People can force uncomfortable images, messages, and videos onto you.
• People can bully you or say not-so-nice things to you.
• People can trick you out of money or personal information online.

How to Online Date Effectively and Avoid Romance Scammers

• Make sure you know the type of person you are looking for when online dating.
• Make sure to only form serious relationships with people who have video chatted with you or met you in person.
• Go slow with the relationship until you get to know the person you are talking to.
• Don’t send the person money or any confidential personal information for any reason.
• Be prepared to be picky and spend time on dating sites to try and find that potential partner.
• Do your research on the dating app to make sure it has a verification system and the pricing is just right.
• Don’t lie about yourself online. Instead, be honest about who you are so that your potential partner can fall for who you really are.
• Video chat the person before going on an actual date with them.

Verdict: Should You Try Online Dating?

You should only try online dating if you are willing to take it slow and get to know someone before rushing into a relationship with them. Make sure to video chat with them and go on a few dates with them first before deciding if they are really the one for you. Scammers can trick you into believing they are the one by creating fake profiles, rushing the relationship, and falling madly in love with you before asking you for money.

Therefore, it is not a good idea to go on dating apps if you are looking to rush a relationship, fill a lonely void, or are in need of a partner now. Scammers will take advantage of people who are lonely and desperate for a relationship, so make sure you are in a good place emotionally before going onto dating sites. Dating apps can be fun if you are cautious, aware, and know what to watch out for when looking for a partner.

Social Catfish is Here to Help You!

At Social Catfish, we want to help you verify the identities of those who might seem suspicious to you. If you have their name, email address, phone number, social media username, or image, you can reverse search and see who the suspected person was that you’ve been in contact with when figuring out “should I try online dating?”