Relationships in the digital age
The internet has undeniably changed the way that we socialise, especially amongst the under 25s, providing many portals through which to access a space transcendent of your usual physical sphere and allowing others to do the same. Meeting and mingling here requires only that you have a device and an internet connection, which, given that its reach continues to expand, makes it an inordinately diverse tool for socialising.
Efforts made by corporations such as X (Formerly 'Google X') have culminated in the launch of, 'Project Loon,' a surreal-sounding endeavour that intends to bring Internet access to developing countries and remote parts of the world by utilising a network of high-altitude balloons.
The possibilities of meeting like-minded people have been hugely expanded beyond basic geography.
The landscape of romance in particular has shifted, with online dating on the rise across all age-groups. In the 18-24 age brackets, the use of online dating sites has more-or-less tripled since 2013, and doubled for those between the ages of 55-64.
According to the Telegraph, one in five relationships in the UK starts online and seven million UK users are currently utilising online dating services. This was coupled with research undertaken by psychologists at Chicago University which suggested that those who meet online are, statistically at least, more satisfied with their partners and the relationship more likely to last.
It would appear that people are commuting further as well and that the internet is keeping up with this kind of changing workplace environment; people seem to be more willing to travel for love as well as work than they once were and the internet is more than accommodating for this.
Arranged marriages too, are being affected. A tradition once organised primarily by parents using word-of-mouth, newspaper ads and other such means, many websites now exist that allow wider search location parameters and better matches that an individual can assess for themselves; those looking to be married have more involvement in their online profiles.
It provides an interesting look into both the contrast and adaptation going on between these traditional methods of finding relationships and the evolution of the modern world.
It's not all positive, naturally, as while doors of opportunity open, so too do new problems arise.
While there is wonder to be found in a world where it is so much easier to meet someone and bond over the most peculiar and unlikely of passions, it also provides an outlet for fundamentally extremist views and a safe environment for those with them to meet and essentially bolster one another's outlooks.
There are arguments too, from a statistical viewpoint at least, that while the internet provides a good place to meet and build friendships, the online socialising scene itself remains difficult to negotiate if you are hoping for romance in particular.
According to datingsitesreviews.com, a concerning percentage of dating site users are reporting harassment, not to mention an alarming increase in sexual assault in first real-world encounters with someone met on a dating site since 2009.
With all this said, research into the natures of crime committed using online dating sites as well as their perpetrators has so far been successful in raising public awareness and in assisting both the police and the sites themselves in addressing the issues and threats posed.
As someone who met their partner online, I hope that using the internet to socialise remains a safe and happy endeavour for current and future generations.
Efforts made by corporations such as X (Formerly 'Google X') have culminated in the launch of, 'Project Loon,' a surreal-sounding endeavour that intends to bring Internet access to developing countries and remote parts of the world by utilising a network of high-altitude balloons.
The possibilities of meeting like-minded people have been hugely expanded beyond basic geography.
The landscape of romance in particular has shifted, with online dating on the rise across all age-groups. In the 18-24 age brackets, the use of online dating sites has more-or-less tripled since 2013, and doubled for those between the ages of 55-64.
According to the Telegraph, one in five relationships in the UK starts online and seven million UK users are currently utilising online dating services. This was coupled with research undertaken by psychologists at Chicago University which suggested that those who meet online are, statistically at least, more satisfied with their partners and the relationship more likely to last.
It would appear that people are commuting further as well and that the internet is keeping up with this kind of changing workplace environment; people seem to be more willing to travel for love as well as work than they once were and the internet is more than accommodating for this.
Arranged marriages too, are being affected. A tradition once organised primarily by parents using word-of-mouth, newspaper ads and other such means, many websites now exist that allow wider search location parameters and better matches that an individual can assess for themselves; those looking to be married have more involvement in their online profiles.
It provides an interesting look into both the contrast and adaptation going on between these traditional methods of finding relationships and the evolution of the modern world.
It's not all positive, naturally, as while doors of opportunity open, so too do new problems arise.
While there is wonder to be found in a world where it is so much easier to meet someone and bond over the most peculiar and unlikely of passions, it also provides an outlet for fundamentally extremist views and a safe environment for those with them to meet and essentially bolster one another's outlooks.
There are arguments too, from a statistical viewpoint at least, that while the internet provides a good place to meet and build friendships, the online socialising scene itself remains difficult to negotiate if you are hoping for romance in particular.
According to datingsitesreviews.com, a concerning percentage of dating site users are reporting harassment, not to mention an alarming increase in sexual assault in first real-world encounters with someone met on a dating site since 2009.
With all this said, research into the natures of crime committed using online dating sites as well as their perpetrators has so far been successful in raising public awareness and in assisting both the police and the sites themselves in addressing the issues and threats posed.
As someone who met their partner online, I hope that using the internet to socialise remains a safe and happy endeavour for current and future generations.