The Latest on Online Dating According to Pew.

Internet or online dating is a sectorstruggling to survive and thrivethrough thick and thin.Everything about the sector isdebatable yet its tomorrow is still so bright.
Pew Research Center’s latestlook into the state of online dating reveals it all—the beautiful, the bad and the ugly. You’ll be shocked just how far the US has gone with online dating.

For instance, whilemost Americans are still wary of the looming dangers offindinga mate online, a large number confess to have used adating app or platform.

Plus, morepeople (than you imagine) have found lasting relationships and marital partners thanks to web-based dating.

Here are the digits according to Pew.

  • A whole 30 percent of adults in the US have tried online dating sites or apps. That’s a significant improvement compared to 2013’s 11 percent. We may as well say 3 in 10 US grownups have tried online dating.
  • Still, only 18 percent of all those who’ve tried internet dating has at least one active account.
  • Of the Americans who’veused internet dating, 12 percent confess to have found lovers and lifetimemates.
  • In the meantime, 37 percent of dating site users admit a person met over online went on contacting them even after they said no.

Pics are the number one determinant for a likable online dating profile. Still, users prioritize factors like; (1) type of relationship, (2) kids or no kids, (3) hobbies, and (4) religious beliefs.

A Long Way to go

But as you would expect, everything is not “smooth sailing” for the adult dating sector.

As we are about to see, the industry still has a lot to do as regards to curbing bad practices and protecting innocentservice users.

According to Pew Research center;

  • 35 percent of online dating US adultssay they’ve receivedoffensive uncalled-forimages or texts.
  • 27 percent said an online user called them“offensive” names.
  • Only 9 percent mentioned threats of abuse or physical harm.

As you would have thought, women recorded much higher percentages than their male counterparts in all the above categories.
Here are Pew’s figures for women vs men.
 

  1. 48 percent of females admitted continued contact or pursuit even after saying no, compared to 27 percent of males
  2. And while 46 percent of women received photos or messages without consent, only 26 percent of men did.
  3. 33 percent of females (compared to 22 percent of males) said they were called offensive names
  4. Lastly, only 11 percent of women received threats of physical abuse compared to 6 percent of males

And if you’re young and outgoing (in the internet dating world) then you’re hotcake. The digitsthese categories skyrocketed higher for people between ages 18 and 34. But your chances of getting spotted are even higher if you’re female.

For instance, an entire 60 percent of females (18 to 34) reported persistent contact from an online user even after saying no or showing lack of interest

 Americans still feel dating over the web has done more harm than good to relationships.

Over 25 percent of the interviewed grownups feel dating over the web has done more harm than good to relationships. Only 22 percent feel digital dating has impacted relationships positively.
 

The rest (more than 50%) did not respond to the question of whether dating online has done more harm than good to human affairs.

The Pros 

  1. Easy, instant hook-ups
  2. It links you with people locally and internationally.
  3. It gives one a chance to scrutinize possible mates before the meet-up

The Cons

  1. Users falsify their identity
  2. Some users are all-out scammers looking to harm others
  3. Not many online links lead to emotional ties.

Respondents also cited unwelcome “sexting” or provocative sexual messages from strangers or other users.

What does that mean?

It’s true, meeting strangers online puts you in significant danger. But we can never overlook or underestimate the critical role of the dating sector as reflected in this recent research.
Hopefully, adult dating merchant accountowners will work to lessen those risks so that Americans can enjoy stress-free online hook-ups.

A complete Guide to Dating Sites.

If you’re still skeptical about the power of dating sites, then you should catch up with the latest stats.
Pew Research Center’s most recent study found 12 percent of people in the US have entered serious relationships that led to marriage as a result of online dating.

But when searching for the right partner online, you have to look carefully, and in the correct place.
Meeting someone special in a jam-packed internet won’t be a walk in the park if you don’t have a strategy, more so if you’re after specific type of individual.
A case in point is when you’re targeting a mate with similar same religious beliefs, or a person living with HIV etc.
 

Up to Speed with Dating Sites.

While some dating sites have general classifications like solos searching for hookups, friends, long-term engagements, marriages etc., the best dating websites classify possible matches into further detail (as illustrated above) to ease the search process.

You’ll almost certainly get enjoy a free-trial window during which you’ll enjoy access to the site’s basic features.  And if you like the service, you can pick a subscription plan (with more capabilities and perks) and start active online dating.

Many plans come in three levels i.e., basic, standard and premium, and offers get better in that order— so does the price.

 A premium plan gives unrestricted access to the best services in a website. That means you get to enjoy all these and more.

  1. All website services and features
  2. Tactical profile placement to increase its visibility
  3. Permission to contact any dater, and go through their profiles & postings.
  4. You also get to view to all new profiles ahead of others

On the downside, a standard or basic plan restricts access to the features that matter most for your dating.

For example, a premium dater’s gets to view new profiles ahead of basic or standard daters. Still, the latter can create profiles, add pics among other basic services.

Though you can date-for-free in many websites, a paid subscription will prompt the “contact person” option. But money can’t buy love, even if online, enjoying all these perks does not   guarantee you’ll get whoever you want— the attraction and repulsion laws of nature still apply.

Winning a date online often means many things but creating an attention-grabbing or fascinating profile is the first catch. According to Pew Research center’s Study, images are the number one factorfor a likable internet dating profile.

Still, people who date online prioritize other factors such as (1) type of relationship, (2) whether you have kids or not, (3) shared hobbies, and (4) your religion.

How to Identify the Dating Sites for Your Needs.

Now that you know how dating sites work, try the tips below to pick the right site for your needs and start searching as soon as possible.

  1. Go through website features.

Narrow down to a list of websites, and compare features to pick out the best. Check engagement tools like live chat and video calling etc. Look for extra security features and other things that matter to you.

  1. Compare subscription plans.
     

Shortlist the pros and cons of each site and put these side by side with their offerings in every subscription tier. That way, you can make a more informed decision.

  1. Date economically—Money can’t buy you love.
     

Searching for a mate or love does not have to be a costly or expensive experience. Don’t break the bank hoping you will get instant results— remember, money can’t buy you love!

Lastly, be patient and slow to act as you compare the various dating sites. Avoid signing up and subscribing to many sites that you won’t use later.

Finally, explore cheap long-lasting offers and remember to double-check terms and conditions.

STIs as an Unseen Risk

Though some sites do background checks and others have categories that link special people (like those living with HIV), users are still at a significant risk of STIs.

It looks far-fetched, but it isn’t because many online hookups end in skin to skin sexual interactions with strangers (who might be infected).

It happens, many times than we admit it. The idea of testing for STIs is always an after-thought. And what of condoms? Oh, protection crosses the mind but things happen so fast.

But the consequences can be severe, which is why you mustn’t exclude STDs from the list of dangers you face online.

As a rule of thumb, all strangers are infected unless a full-screening reveals otherwise. To stay safe, you have to set a no dithering policy on the use of condoms. If not, then your partner must agree to a full STD screening before you engage in unprotected sex.

In a nutshell, navigate online dating with a crystal clear mind. Don’t let the thrill of meeting a perfect match overshadow the concern for your reproductive health.

Remember, many online hookups are driven by lust and infatuation—they come and go with the wind—and that’s another reason to always watch out for your health!

And screen doesn’t end there, here are six instances when you need STD testing.
 

  1. You just had sex with a mate who’s not your partner.
  2. You tripped and never used protection.
  3. You are entering a new relationship.
  4. You are single/solo and engage in sex frequently
  5. You need a full STD testing.
  6. You have not tested for long and would like to take one.

STD testing does not have to be costly and painful. You can take affordable confidential tests at STDLabs.com and get private results.

To wrap up

There are many perspectives to Pew’s findings but these two are non-debatable (1) online dating has shown significant potential in changing people’s lives, and can do better (2) But industry players including online dating merchant account owners and regulators must work to reduce harmful practices.

Contributor: admin