ARTICLE 2

PROS AND CONS OF ONLINE DATING

 
By Gladys  Alvarez
Miami, Florida

Pros and Cons of online dating adverts fill our inbox, ads appear on a large percentage of the websites we visit, and they even, on occasion, show up on our television screens. Because of the percentage of people turning to the Internet for a date, it is important to keep in mind the pros and cons to online dating.

PROS:
One of the biggest advantages to online dating, is the vast number of people who have signed up on dating websites looking for “their one and only.” This allows you to meet more people who are interested in dating, quickly or not. Online dating websites give you more choices in who you meet, because you are given the opportunity to browse through countless of online profiles with or without pictures (you can always request a picture/s) before deciding who you would like to start communicating with. You can also abstain from communicating with someone if you so choose, while still remaining anonymous.

The opportunity is much higher for you to get to know the person you are interested in, because their profile gives you an idea of the person’s personality, interests, likes, dislikes, ethnicity, religious background and so on before you get to meet them in person. Email and instant messaging are also popular methods for people to communicate with each other. The cell phone is also practical, (do not recommend giving your home number while in the first stages of getting acquainted).

Another reason why online dating is so popular is because it eliminates the fear of the rejection factor as well as the social awkwardness that one might feel when meeting someone new, because initial interaction is anonymous through most online dating websites.

CONS:
There are still people who will join dating sites just to look at profiles, even if they are not interested in dating. So you may be interested in his/her profile but he/she won’t be interested in yours. The numbers of women who have joined the online websites far out number the number of men. Good for the men who have joined.

The number of online dating users who misrepresent themselves is quite high. The anonymity of such sites gives them this opportunity. Most often it is about their appearance, age, economic status, and even gender. Single does not always mean what it should. Some people claim to be single when in fact they are still married or in the process of a divorce.

Online scams are very prevalent on the Internet and it is seeping onto the online dating websites. Users will fill out a profile in order to collect addresses and in turn try and scam them out of money. The only thing you can do is to protect yourself first. That old saying, "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is", carries over into online dating. Be cautious of who you meet and where; and always let a friend or family member know where you will be. While there are many wonderful success stories of couples who have met online, there are just as many disappointing stories of first meetings that never turned into second ones.

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