Social media and the internet have become a more prominent component of an individual’s everyday life — this has correlated to the normalization of online dating apps and websites.
The introduction of early dating apps in 2009 has formed a new lifestyle of dating for the 21st century.
In 2018, seven of the 53 couples that were featured in the Vows column of the New York Times met on dating apps. And 93 of the 1,000 couples in the popular Wedding Announcements met on dating apps, according to The Atlantic.
“It has become bigger because it allows you to broaden your horizons. You are able to have a bigger pool of people instead of being stuck with the same people you have met,” Sonny Dodds, a sophomore psychology major, said. “I think people are accepting technology more [and] recognize that you can’t get away from technology so to have a dating app is [a part of the] grand scheme of technology we have [access to].”
These online dating resources create a larger dating pool for singles to meet people they would not have otherwise met because of geographic challenges. They also allow people to meet others with similar viewpoints, religious practices, sexuality and much more.
Every dating app is created for an individual’s preferences when finding a person to date. The apps also use algorithms to match people who would be the most compatible.
“Online dating apps [allows a] huge pool of options it provides its users with. Through this information, the algorithm of the application tries to match users with similar requirements,” Veronica Hanks, a writer for thrive global and digital analyst, said in her article,“How Dating Apps Are Revolutionizing Relationships Today?”
Some of these apps have also created online environments where individuals can also meet friends. For example, Bumble was released in 2014 and is set up to where a person can swipe on a person they deem interested in. In 2016, Bumble released Bumble BFF, which allows others to meet people to create platonic friendships.
“As a person that has moved around a lot I think it’s great to meet different people. [It allows others] to meet friends and different people with different viewpoints instead of being friends with the same [people],” Dodds said.
However, with the introduction and normalization of these apps has come a different way of dating compared to in the past.
“[Dating is different because] everyone had this idea of the courting process [where you] do all these pre steps before getting anywhere and people can now go straight into dates,” Dodds said.
However, with using these apps there can be implications when it comes to dating. People can end up not being similar to their romantic partner, it does not allow the complete picture of a person until further in the relationship and there can be social disconnects, according to The Atlantic.
But with the recognition and higher use of these apps will it change how dating is completely in the future?
Photo: Tate Walden/ The Johnsonian
