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FUTURE OF ONLINE DATING

"Twenty years from now, the idea that someone looking for love won't look for it online will be silly..." (Hanman, 2005). Online dating will likely become the future of dating. The Internet is a fabulous search tool and enables serendipitous connections. Furthermore, online dating is as likely to foster intimacy and romance as traditional dating practices. As more and more people start to realize this, they will utilize online dating services to facilitate their relationships. Ultimately, it will become a normal part of life.

"Hooking up" is the new ABC News Documentary about online dating. It reveals the normalcy of online dating, and actually goes on to show the audience the real side of it all (Davis, 2005). It reveals the truth about virtual dating by following Cynthia's life as an online dater. Despite all the leaps of faith and crushing disappointments with online dating, Cynthia shows how online dating has helped her get into the dating scene. Online dating gives her "hope that she might actually meet someone in the near future" (David, 2005).

"Frequent fliers of the world, unite!" (Boyle, 2005). Peter Shankman created Airintroductions.com, a high-mile dating and networking site. Airintroductions. com can be described as "Expedia meets Friendster." The site allows users to enter their personalized profiles and flight itineraries. If another user is on the same flight as you, you're alerted via e-mail, and you can look at his or her profile to see if you are interested in meeting him or him on your fligth. This dating site helps busy people go on dates, in the air.

On October 11, 2005, Match.com launched Chemistry.com. Chemistry.com is a new service that uses neuroscience to match people up. Users are required to fill out a comprehensive questionnaire created by an anthropologist at Rutgers University (Arnst, 2005). The site pairs people that complement each other based on questionnaires. The site assesses people's compatibility and not superficial qualities.

Features and services, such as those mentioned above, allow the online dating industry to continue growing. However, I believe that the future of online dating will consist of a healthy mix of online dating services and traditional dating practices. Technological inventions will continue to allow online daters to become more accessible. Member can use instant "flirt" or use other such dating services through cell phones. Also, many sites these days allow members to use video and voice features. This allows people to see and hear a real live person, even though it is at the other end of the computer screen. Other new technologies, in particular location-based technologies (such as the GPS), will allow online daters to physically locate people that they have interest in (of course this will be done with users' permission).

The future of online dating is not all about technology though. It's also about old fashioned, face-to-face hook-ups. Some dating companies sponsor real world events for members to get together and establish physical contact. Consequently, the future of online dating companies will also be determined by how successful these companies are in providing their members with opportunities for virtual as well as physical interactions.