Online dating is a direct result of the Internet's presence in society.
Very few areas of society have escaped the impact of the Internet. From shopping to researching to meeting new people, it's hard to ignore the ways the World Wide Web has changed how society functions and interacts. Social networks and dating sites are a couple of the Internet's tools that, as of the date of publication, are commonly used to socialize in the 21st century.
Social Networking
In the pre-Internet days, keeping in touch with friends and family involved writing and mailing correspondence through the U.S. Postal Service. Since the Internet burst onto the scene during the 1990s, keeping in touch has been a task that is easily done through the Internet with a variety of social networks, such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. These websites, and others, give you the ability to instantaneously share information, such as emails, pictures and videos, and save you from having to drive to the post office. Social networking, in many ways, has impacted social lives by bringing people closer, but not as close as other Internet social tools.
Online Dating
Dating networks, such as eHarmony and Zoosk, have had an impact on the way people find love while using the Internet. While sites like these haven't taken the one-on-one real-life aspect completely out of the dating scene, they have had an impact on the preliminary boy-meets-girl phase of dating. For instance, eHarmony, founded in 2000, matches couples based on a compatibility survey designed by founder Dr. Neil Clark Warren, who practiced clinical psychology for more than 35 years. Dr. Warren's patented Compatibility Matching System matches clients based on results of the survey, which is based on aspects that indicate the likelihood that the matched couple will experience a long-term relationship. According to a Harris Interactive poll conducted on behalf of website, 542 eHarmony-matched couples marry each day in the U.S.
Shopping and Videoconferencing
Socializing isn't all about romance and familial ties. A trip to the local mall or shopping center provides patrons with opportunities to interact with other shoppers and sales staff. With the arrival of the Internet, however, it became possible to shop online and to sidestep the hassles of standing in line or dealing with crowds. The Internet has also brought with it the ability to videoconference. With the proper equipment, videoconferencing enables people to interact face-to-face through an Internet connection, making it even less necessary to socialize in person.
Entertainment
Large-scale socializing, such as a movie, concert or sporting event, has also felt the impact of the Internet. For example, websites like Fandango and Ticketmaster make it possible to bypass the ticket line and purchase tickets online instead of standing in line for hours to get a movie or concert ticket, which provided opportunities to socialize. Online gaming is another aspect that has felt the impact of the Internet. When video games came into being during the 1970s and 1980s, gaming was limited to a one- or two-person experience shared by individuals in the same room. With the arrival of the Internet has come the ability to compete against video gamers throughout the world by connecting video game consoles, like the Nintendo Wii, to the Internet. Online gaming websites, like World of Warcraft, also enable video gamers to compete against each other from throughout the world while giving them the ability to socialize through instant messages.
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