Since online dating became a thing in the mid-1990s, this pastime has steadily increased in popularity. Everyone from Hollywood A-listers like Sharon Stone and Amy Schumer to, in all probability, many of the people in your friendship circle, have tried virtual matchmaking. Given the current pandemic situation forcing us to socialize via screens rather than face-to-face, the numbers signing up to a dating platform has rocketed. So what are the pros and cons of online relationships in 2020?
Pros:
Choice is increasing all the time
No matter what type of online relationship you are seeking, there will be an outlet for this. Any possible permutation of dating you could think of will be catered for already, so whatever you pop into a search engine –polyamorous relationships, LGBT dating, you name it – there will be somewhere appropriate. Others, will display best dating site reviews Australia has to offer and provide an overview of what’s on offer across a range of web platforms you might be interested in based on your location.
Communication technology is evolving
Online dating was once about allowing A to contact B via text messages. In 2020, the new buzzword entering everyone’s vocabulary was ‘zoom,’ with virtual meetings taking over from those archaic activities of people traveling to offices to congregate in a room somewhere. Now you can video chat with partners, current or prospective. Virtual reality headsets can make these interactions even more striking.
It’s a haven
Given the present climate, singles are not only naturally wary of meeting people whose background is unfamiliar, but the outlets for meeting potential dates have also been severely curtailed. However, online relationships are thriving, with more and more individuals embracing the security of the virtual world. Site users have been drawn to the convenience of connecting via their computers and hand-held gadgets for a long time. COVID has added extra layers of assurance, providing members of a site with access to their very own background checks when they examine profile information.
International barriers are transcended
Another aspect of the Coronavirus situation is that it has united people across the world in the face of a common danger. The Internet has long transcended international boundaries, but that seems even more pertinent now. Why shouldn’t anyone be equally at home communicating with someone from a different timezone as they would a single from their neighborhood? Language needn’t be an issue either, with software devices ready to translate your text messages in real-time. Relationships are being increasingly forged between people from different cultural backgrounds, with thousands of miles of distance being transcended by video chatting.
Cons:
People are more suspicious of strangers
Returning to the ever-present specter of COVID, where people would once have been concerned about things like sexually-transmitted infections, especially when interacting on sites dedicated to no-strings sex, now there is an added layer of worry about the pandemic. You might find yourself asking a prospective partner if they’ve had any contact with infected individuals through family or their employment, or if they happen to live in an area with a high infection rate.
It’s a crowded marketplace
Online dating is popular, which is a good thing for relationships. You will always be spoiled for choice when it comes to searching for a new partner. But this has to be balanced with the fact mass-appeal means there will be a lot of other singles in the same boat. If you want to have a successful online experience, you’ll need to ensure you stand out from the crowd.
You can’t beat physical interaction
With all those communication methods at your disposal, online relationships can thrive. But nothing will ever beat that moment you meet a new partner in the flesh for the first time, and you can see their reactions face-to-face.