WIRED – July 18 – According to stats, 20% of heterosexual couples and ~70% of same-sex couples met online. The usual criticism of online dating is that it's a hive of airbrushed photos and downright lies. A couple of scientific studies come to conclusions that small lies were not merely self-deceptions, but deliberate. On paid sites people tend to be looking for something more serious, they're more keen to progress offline to actual dates and abusive messages are at a minimum. Psychologist Dr Jessamy Hibberd believes that much of the directness in online dating occurs because all interactions are in a "social vacuum". With no mutual friends to avoid alienating, there's less social pressures to keep behaviour in check. There could also be "grass is greener" attitude inherent in online dating. "We see that people are more willing to leave unsatisfying relationships because there's less friction to finding a new person to date. So, average relationship length comes down, but not because people seek that," says OKCupid co-founder and Match.com CEO Sam Yagan.
by Alan Martin
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