WA9
Why has internet dating grown so much over the past years? While initially there was a stigma associated with meeting people through the internet, this stigma is fading and the percentage of couples that meet online is increasing. According to Sautter, Tippet, and Morgan, “This growth in Internet dating services and patterns of utilization reflect three factors; technological change making Internet dating available and efficient, coupled with growing computer literacy that makes it increasingly accessible; demographic change producing a greater number and variety of persons who might be searching for romantic partners; and social change making Internet dating more acceptable” (556). More people now have internet available to them in their home. With the internet becoming more popular more people are joining social networks and dating sites to meet new people.
As social networking becomes more acceptable to people, others are using internet dating, and with more people using it, it becomes a fad and is perceived to be a normal activity. Many of the online dating sites are marketing that they can provide a subscriber the perfect match through their specific compatibility and personality testing. As unlikely this may be, many people are intrigued by this and will purchase based of this alone. Some of the online dating websites are also using promotions such as "Money Back Guarantee" if the subscriber is unable to find a match within a specific amount of time. With these types of promises, people are giving more online dating services a chance.
In addition, other factors that contribute to the growth of online dating are the rise of social network use. According to Curran, Lennon, and Rentfro,” In December, 2011, Facebook surpassed having 845 Million users worldwide” (2). People of almost all ages are using social network sites. Curran, Lennon, and Rentfro states, “that the 18-35 age grouping make up 48 percent of social networking sites users”. With...