The Pros and Cons of Digital Dating

With Valentine’s Day 2021 just around the corner, we thought it was the best time to talk about digital dating. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has brought some couples closer during lockdown, for those looking for love, it has been extremely difficult to meet new people. Over lockdown, the formation of romantic relationships has transformed and more single individuals are seeking love through virtual dating platforms.

When it comes to modern dating tools, they can be a blessing for some but a challenge for others. Online dating is the perfect idea to make new couples, but it does have its obstacles, especially for those who have never tried it before. For those hoping to find their ideal partner online, there is now an abundance of apps to choose from, including Eharmony, Match.com, Bumble, Tinder and many more.

To help you decide whether you want to build your love life online, we’ve created a list of all the pros and cons of digital dating. So you know just what to expect when you decide to take the plunge of creating your first-ever virtual dating profile! Let’s take a look.

Pros

Instant Matching

The beauty with digital dating is that they do the matching for you and test which personalities you’d suit with best. This is a useful way to help narrow down your options and makes digital dating much more convenient to fit around our everyday lives. So you don’t have to worry about spending time swiping or feeling under pressure to meet someone in social situations. It doesn’t matter how busy your schedule is, digital dating is always accessible and can match you with thousands of potential life partners.

New Locations

If you’re a single adult looking for love, keeping your options open to different locations gives you the chance to find more people who share similar values and interests. In real life, this can be a tricky task and especially in lockdown, but with digital dating apps, you have access to individuals from a wider location and they sometimes give you the ability to set your ideal distance range. Whether you’d like to meet someone close to you or further afield, you’ll have plenty of choices.

Personality Traits

One benefit of digital dating is how flexible it is and the freedom it gives you to communicate with your like-minded people. Being able to talk with the person before physically meeting is important as you have the opportunity to learn each other’s backgrounds, beliefs, hobbies, career and preferences. This helps you to identify what you already have in common and to judge whether they are your usual type or not. It also means you can detect any warning signs before you actually go on a date.

Shy or Anxious

 If you struggle with nerves when it comes to dating, meeting people online can often be easier as you have the protection of a screen between you and the other person. Whether you agree to message over a virtual chat or arrange a private phone call together, digital dating allows you to open up and introduce yourself without the need for face-to-face communication. Additionally, you have the choice of being in the comfort of your own space whilst talking which can help you to feel more relaxed.

Cons

Less Experience

 Unfortunately with digital dating, you are restricted to online communication. Meeting someone through a screen, like on a video call, does not offer the same valued experience as face-to-face interaction. It is less intimate and engaging which can have an impact on how quick your relationship progresses. If you are chatting online, conversations can also be misunderstood which could give the other person the wrong signals.

Too Much Choice

 Another downfall of digital dating is the wide variety of people you’re exposed to and how overwhelming it can be. With this in mind, it is easy to forget about the reality of a relationship and be fooled by first impressions based on just their profile photo. You might find yourself making quicker decisions, such as avoiding someone too early before getting to properly know them or you might think you’ve found the perfect match without figuring out if your personalities are compatible.

Be Aware of Fake Accounts

It’s fair to say that the possibilities with online dating are endless but it is important to be cautious and know which red flags to look out for along the way. Virtual dating apps are a simple way for people to lie about who they are and to use the platform to target vulnerable individuals. Users can hide their personal details and keep information about themselves secret. This makes it difficult to truly know for certain someone’s real character and nature.