From the author: Considering that online dating is a relatively new form of matchmaking, you should keep in mind both the positive and negative aspects of this innovation. According to statistics, almost 40 % of all marriages in the last 3 years began with online dating. And taking into account the number of registered users who want to meet online (more than 100 million), it becomes clear: online dating works for millions of people! Quite often in real life it is really difficult to meet a partner for completely objective reasons (long working hours, exclusively female/male team, etc.), and then online dating is the best option...if you know how to use it correctly. Considering that online dating is a relatively new form of matchmaking, there are both positive and negative aspects to keep in mind. Pros of online dating Opportunity to meet a much larger number of people interested in dating than in real life. Available at any time within 24 hours. Large selection of candidates who meet the stated requirements. Anonymity, which significantly reduces social awkwardness and fear of rejection. You can learn a lot about your partner in advance , before agreeing on a face-to-face date, save time and avoid a “bad” date Reasonable price compared to marriage agencies Suitable not only for young people, but also for people of any age, as well as gender, social class. You can meet a partner in any geographical area, in advance by setting the search parameters. Many real positive examples and happy marriages. Disadvantages of Online Dating There are many people who simply view profiles (especially with free registration) and are not interested in serious relationships. On some dating sites, the number of women exceeds the number of men. Often, due to the anonymity of online dating, participants can distort real facts, in particular about your appearance, social and economic status, age, gender, marital status, use outdated photographs and so on. Significant risk for meeting scammers for the purpose of extorting money Obtaining email addresses for sending out advertising Requires a lot of time (almost like a full-time job!) Browsing profiles can become a habit. It's not always easy to stop and make a choice. Sometimes after a first date that seemed to go well, you may find that your partner continues to search and dating sites. Offends and is perceived as “cheating” “Chemistry” and non-verbal language - this is what is missing in online dating. And this is a very important part. Where to begin? 1. Determine what kind of relationship you are looking for before choosing a dating site. Something serious that could lead to marriage? One night stand? No strings attached adult dating? Friendship based on mutual interests that could lead to romance? If you're interested in more than one type of relationship, check that too. 2. Create a list of what you are looking for in a relationship: age, appearance, interests, income level, intelligence, place of residence, willingness to meet mothers raising children, language skills, etc. 3. Next, you need to decide on the price range that you can afford to pay for the site's services. It is better to immediately determine the monthly amount you are willing to spend. 4. Create a list of online dating sites that you have received good reviews for, and also use search engines using the criteria you have already defined. There will probably be about 5-10 of them at first. 5. Protect your personal information. Address, place of work, phone number and so on. It is better to have a separate email address and a new phone number that is not registered in your name. 6. Creating a profile. Many sites offer to simply answer a small list!