By Aaron Smith and Maeve Duggan from Pew Research Center, Washington, DC
Experts tell us that meeting online is on the rise and no longer stigmatised. 66% of online daters have gone on a date with someone they met through a dating site, and 23% of online daters say they have met a spouse or long term relationship through these sites. Attitudes towards online dating are becoming more positive over time.
Public attitudes towards online dating have grown more positive in the last eight years:
59% of all internet users agree with the statement that “online dating is a good way to meet people”,
53% of internet users agree with the statement that “online dating allows people to find a better match for themselves because they can get to know a lot more people”.
Additionally, 32% of internet users agree with the statement that “online dating keeps people from settling down because they always have options for people to date.”Some 79% of online daters agree that online dating is a good way to meet people, and 70% of them agree that it helps people find a better romantic match because they have access to a wide range of potential partners.