Since online dating services began, many people have turned to them as a way to find dates. As subscriptions to these Web sites continue to rise, the dating world is changing by the second.
Web sites such as E-Harmony.com, AmericanSingles.com and Match.com offer Internet users a chance to meet others looking for a date.
Many of these Web sites offer services to those in Northwest Ohio.
According to Match.com, there are more than 5,500 members subscribed to the site in the Toledo area. Sixty percent of those members are male.
Fourty-five percent of Match.com members in the Toledo area report they are between the ages of 25 and 39.
Users of these Web sites create a member profile, in which they list personality traits and information. They are then linked to other users based on their profile.
Based on their location, users are grouped together and members can view profiles of others in their area.
But many BGSU students aren’t interested in the online dating and advice world.
Liz Conn, a University senior, said she would never use an online dating and advice service.
“I think these Web sites are pretty lame,” Conn said.
In addition to assisting people in search of a date, many of these Web sites also offer dating advice to their subscribers.
Most of these Web sites offer subscribers a deal that lets them create a profile for free. If the user continues to use the site, monthly plans are available and payments must be made to the company.
Eharmony.com lists its one-month program at $59.95.
University junior Sarah Rostar said she will not use an online dating service because she fears something bad could happen.
“I personally would never use an online dating service because I’m afraid of online predators,” Rostar said. “But for people who may not have a lot of self confidence in approaching someone, this may be a good way for them to find a date.”
University sophomore Chris Messer feels that online dating can be a useful tactic for some single people.
“I believe online dating can be a good thing for certain people who may be socially awkward,” Messer said. “Its flaws are no different from any sort of dating, but you just have to be careful about the kind of people you meet.”
