online dating : boon and bane

what is online dating? sources: www.ibspro.net/finding-your-soulmate-online-big-deal.html

It is the dating system that allows individuals and groups to make contact and communicate with one another over the internet, across the globe, usually in meaning of creating a personal romantic or a sexual relationship. Dating online allows the people to "hook-up" virtually or if they want to they can further their relationship and meet up in person.

And this is usually done through websites ( for example, tagged, facebook ) that provide services that allow people to meet and make friends with people whom they don't know.

most sites are broad-based, with people from different backgrounds looking for different relationships, however some sites would require participants to fill in their more personal information so that they can be matched up with more suited partners.

As with anything social, online dating comes with it pros and cons

PROS

• There are a vast range of online dating services, there are online dating services for people of different age group, different social background, and different races. So ultimately you can meet potential daters with the same interests.
• Online daters may exchange contact information online and get to know each other at a slower pace before meeting in person. The daters correspond with one another via email or other electronic means before moving to the next step. This gives daters time to decide if they will move on to the next step in the relationship.
  
• Meeting someone for the first time can be kind of awkward. These uncomfortable feelings can be reduced since the initial contact with a dater through an online dating service is anonymous. It helps to boost a person's low self-esteem
  
  
• Online dating can help you save money, people would probably spend a more money learning about individuals through traditional dating methods. Online dating allows daters to learn more about the people they are interested in without walking out the door.

CONS

• Unfortunately, dating online gives you the power to lie. The anonymity behind online dating allows daters to exaggerate their income, material worth or even their marriage status. so there is a need to be careful and expect the unexpected, if you think that person is too good to be true, he/she probably is, so dont get your hopes too high.
  
• beware of scammers, as if it weren't enough that they try to steal personal information from your trash, they pose as potential dates! Scammers sign-on to these services to collect email addresses and personal information. sales people sometimes use these services for leads, the date that you were loking forward to, may very well be sales pitch for a time share.
  
• Like a lot of other things in the world, there has to be at least a small investment for there to be quality and the same principle applies for online dating.
  
• photos aren't always realistic, photos online, may have been tampered with by using photo editing software.
• If you tell your friends that you met your true love on the internet, you may get some funny looks or even some giggles. I mean this shows alot on where you stand on the social ladder. With all due respect, if you were popular or really good looks would you succumb to online dating?

Online dating might be a good way to meet people whom you share similar interests with, but i certainly wouldn't do it. I mean yes, traditional dating also does have its pros and cons but isn't it disturbing to find out that the other party isnt really what they claim to be? of course that doesnt apply to everyone.

Although such dangers can be avoided if you be extra careful, because normally scammers usually corresponds to hundreds of people at a time, so if we ask alot alot of questions and research them carefully, then only give out information when you really feel that you can trust them, surely that would work right? i personally think its really important to trust your own personal instinct and dont get scammed.

to all of you would do this online dating thing, well good luck!

sources: www.ocf.berkeyley.edu/~shaochen/prosandcons.htm