Social media is not only leading they way for business connections and strong professional relationships, it has also created a whirlwind of online relationships. According to Erik Qualman, author of the popular and successful blog “Socialnomics,” social media is now the number 1 activity taking place online. Qualman states that 1 in 5 romantic relationships now begin online, and 3 in 5 gay couples meet online. The statistic may seem surprising, but when looking at the number of online dating sites now available, it all makes sense. By mid 2012, 40 million people had tried online dating, but it is hard to determine how many of the online dating pursuits are actually successful. It is assumed that men most commonly lie about height, age, and income, whereas women most commonly lie about weight, physical build, and age.
Online dating can be tricky, because many people use these platform to fabricate the truth and become the person they have alway wanted to be.With MTV’s hit new show Catfish, we are able to witness the real, positive and negative affects of romantic online relationships. We have all heard the horror stories that online dating can lead to, but the show also depicts beautiful love stories and genuine connections. Online dating can push people to look past physical attribrutes and really make you get the know someone for who they are on the inside.
There will always be risks with online dating, and there are plenty of tips all over the internet advising online daters how they can stay safe. With the growth of social media and technology combine, catfish have a harder time disguising themselves. Now the after meeting someone online, the next step is searching them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram immediately eliminating some of the skeletons in someones closet. Social media is developing growth in businesses, profits, communication, and relationships, online and offline across the board.
Online dating, just one more way social media is changing relationships one site at a time.