LOVE AT FIRST CLICK?Examining the drawbacks of online dating

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By: Jessica Ramos

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Do people meet their significant others in person anymore?

The emergence of these popular websites has caused a shift in the dating world

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Over 50 MILLION Americans have given online dating a try.[1]

Between 2005 and

2012, a THIRD

of Americans had

met their spouses

online.[2]

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However, with those staggering numbers, online dating is NOT a fairytale.

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There are drawbacks to this form of a relationship as

- Dangerous people can join these websites

- Dating websites are not accurate- People are deceiving their

matches

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of online daters felt uncomfortable and harassed by someone on a dating website[3]

42% of them were women[3]

HARASSMENT AND ABUSE

28%

Recent news headlines suggest...

...that you never know who you could be conversing with. As the websites do not conduct background

checks for their online users, your match could be a

murderer, rapist, criminal[4] and even a scammer. [5]

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Not only is online dating a risk to your life, but also your health. People who get involved in online relationships tend to become

isolated in their own media bubble[6] as their thoughts and feelings are consumed by their online presence with their ‘partner’[7].

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The mystery of online dating is that you will never really

know who you are talking to.

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“People present themselves in the best light online. No one is going to respond to someone who says they are a couch potato and likes to stay home.”[8]

-Dr. Philip MuskinProfessor of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Centre

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A study by Cornwell & Lundgren found that individuals involved in an online

relationship were more likely to engage in misrepresentation than those

involved in face-to-face relationships.[9]

53% of people said they have lied on their dating profile.[10]

32% lied about weight

18% lied about looks

16% lied about physique

14% lied about height

7% lied about bust size [10] João Silas- Unsplash

If that is true, then who are you really dating?

Deception is a major part of online dating as you do not have the luxury of seeing them. Only the superficial information is presented to the user making it hard to get to know their true self. An online representation of someone may not truly be how they behave in real life.[11]

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But is it really possible to find Mr. Right online?

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There is no scientific evidence that online dating websites are

actually matching based on compatibility. There are no

mathematical matching algorithms that the websites are using

in order to create an online romantic relationship that will have

long-term success. [12]

“I’m the first to admit it: we might be popular, we might create a lot of great relationships, we might blah blah blah.

But OkCupid doesn’t really know what it’s doing.”[13]

- Christian RudderPresident and Co-founder of OkCupid

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Would you try online

dating?William Iven - Unsplash

If 6 in 10 teens (15 to 17 yrs[14])say they have met at least one friend

online[15], does that mean the millennials are at risk too?

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References[1] "Online Dating Statistics". Statistic Brain, 2016, http://www.statisticbrain.com/online-dating-statistics/.

[2]Cacioppo, J. T. et al. "Marital Satisfaction And Break-Ups Differ Across On-Line And Off-Line Meeting Venues". Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, vol 110, no. 25, 2013, pp. 10135-10140. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, doi:10.1073/pnas.1222447110.

[3]Smith, Aaron and Maeve Duggan. "Online Dating & Relationships". Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, 2013, http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/10/21/onlin e-dating-relationships/.

[4]Gonzalez, Brando. "The Dangers Of Online Dating Essay". Revolutionary Madators, 2013, http://bcnrm.blogspot.ca/2013/02/the-dangers-of-online-dating-essay.html.

[5] Cacioppo, J. T. et al. "Marital Satisfaction And Break-Ups Differ Across On-Line And Off-Line Meeting Venues". Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, vol 110, no. 25, 2013, pp. 10135-10140. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, doi:10.1073/pnas.1222447110.

[6] Matrix, Sidneyeve. "Film 240 Module 01 Lecture 02 Part 01". 2016, https://vimeo.com/183674745.

[7] Vyhmeister, Ronald. "Positive And Negative Sides Of Online Dating". Streetdirectory.Com, http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/204438/dating_and_romance/positive_and_negative_sides_of_online_dating.html.

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[8]Levine, David. "Online Dating — The Psychology (And Reality)". Elsevier Connect, 2015, https://www.elsevier.com/connect/online-dating-the-psychology-and-reality.

[9] Cornwell, B. and D.C. Lundgren. "Love On The Internet: Involvement And Misrepresentation In Romantic Relationships In Cyberspace Vs. Realspace". Computers In Human Behavior, vol 17, no. 2, 2001, pp. 197-211. Elsevier BV, doi:10.1016/s0747-5632(00)00040-6.

[10]"Little White Lies". Beautifulpeoplecdn.S3.Amazonaws.Com, 2016, https://beautifulpeoplecdn.s3.amazonaws.com/studies/usa_studies.pdf#page=2.

[11] Graff, Dr. Martin. "7 Research-Based Reasons Internet Dating Doesn't Work". Psychology Today, 2015, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/love-digitally/201504/7-research-based-reasons-internet-dating-doesnt-work.

[12] Sprecher, Susan and Eli J. Finkel. "The Scientific Flaws Of Online Dating Sites". Scientific American, 2012, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientific-flaws-online-dating-sites/.

[13] Borison, Rebecca. "Okcupid Admits To Purposely Giving Users Bad Matches In Site 'Experiment'". Business Insider, 2014, http://www.businessinsider.com/okcupid-lied-to-its-users-to-help-them-2014-7.

[14]Lenhart, Amanda. "Teens, Technology And Friendships". Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech, 2015, http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/06/teens-technology-and-friendships/.

[15] Kang, Cecilia. "Third Of All Teens Who Meet Strangers Online Are Meeting Them In Person, Too". Washington Post, 2015, https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2015/08/06/why-kids-are-meeting-more-strangers-online-than-ever-before/.

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News Article HeadlinesKirk, Tristan. "Dating Warning After Woman Stabbed To Death By Man She Met Online". Evening Standard, 2016, http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/internet-dating-warning-after-usha-patel-strangled-and-stabbed-to-death-by-man-she-met-online-a3301391.html.

Knowles, David. "Stabbing Victim Sues Match.Com For $10 Million". NY Daily News, 2013, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/stabbing-victim-sues-match-10-million-article-1.1247969.

Swanberg, Conor. "Woman From Online Dating Site Lured A Single Dad To His Death For A Measly $50". Independent Journal Review, 2016, http://ijr.com/2016/08/680374-online-dating-site-lured-a-single-dad-to-his-death-for-a-measly-50/.

Wire, Tribune. "Florida Man Lured To His Death Through Online Dating Site: Police". WNEP.Com, 2016, http://wnep.com/2016/08/23/florida-man-lured-to-his-death-through-online-dating-site-police/.

Vonow, Brittany. "Judge Warns Of Dangers Of Online Dating After Psycho Killer Murdered Woman He Met Through Oasis App". The Sun, 2016, https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/1481304/judge-warns-of-dangers-of-online-dating-after-psycho-killer-brutally-murdered-woman-he-met-through-oasis-app/.

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