Today, the internet is our primary means of communication and socialization, bridging the gap between people worldwide and providing a way for friends and family to stay in touch even when they are not together. The internet is not just a means to stay connected with those you already know. It is also a place to meet new people and forge new bonds.
The internet raises a few questions, however. Are the relationships that form online as genuine as those that include in person? Can you fall in love over the internet? How well do you know the person you think you have feelings for? People have not been able to agree on this, but it is essential to understand both sides of the discussion.
The Good
Paul J Zak is a professor of neuroeconomics at Claremont University. He has conducted several studies about online relationships and how they differ from in-person ones. According to his research, there is no difference, at least not to those in online relationships. He says, “It’s as if the brain doesn’t differentiate between you posting on social media and being there in person. We are such hyper-social creatures that we release much dopamine with other people. But we can also get that release through Twitter or social media.”
Dating apps have become increasingly popular, with one out of every five people meeting someone online. These apps allow you to meet people much faster than previous generations could. They also give you helpful insight into who a person is before you meet them in person.
Thanks to social media, meeting the right person is easier than ever; your future soul mate might live on another continent.
But what about relationships that don’t just start online but stay there? Exclusively, online relationships are increasingly popular with the younger generation. In a survey by internetmatters.org, 20% of teenagers admitted they would be happy being in relationships that only existed online.
The Bad
However, dating on social media is not without its issues. Online relationships can feel ‘safer’ than in-person ones. Fearing rejection and heartbreak, people may turn away from in-person relationships altogether, leading to loneliness and unfulfillment. The abovementioned survey by internetmatters.org also revealed that 10% of surveyed teens ‘speak’ online exclusively. Many see this as a breakdown of how society has always communicated a frightening reality.
There is also the problem of ‘catfishing.’ It is when people assume alternate identities online and form relationships with people under pretenses. Often, people believe they have met the love of their life, only to realize the person they thought they knew did not even exist.
With how popular dating apps are, some question whether they are practical tools to meet your ‘soul mate’ or virtual representations of our superficial tendencies. Besides, how well do we know the people we meet online? All we see about them is what they want us to see. So, can you love someone without knowing the ‘real them?
Even when relationships DO thrive online, they may have difficulty transitioning to real life. Often, the chemistry between two people that existed over the internet does not carry over into the real world, leading to a breakdown of what both believed was a successful relationship.
No other country evidences the dangers of internet dating like Japan. In recent years, dating has been almost absent from Japan’s social culture, with more men finding it difficult to date and enter relationships. Today, 33% of Japan’s population under thirty admits to never dating. 
Yet, social media platforms are prevalent in Japan. Twitter, for example, notes that Japan has the second-largest Twitter audience in the world, with fifty-one million. Sociologists believe there is a correlation between Japan’s rise in single people and increased social media usage. People are trying to fill the void in their real lives by supplementing it with social media apps.
The Ugly
The internet can be an excellent way to connect with people. Still, it can also be a dangerous landscape to navigate, with cyber-terrorists and online predators looking to take advantage of the unsuspecting. Be careful about who you are talking to, know the signs of fake accounts, and not be too quick to give away your personal information.
As we move into the future, seeing how dating culture evolves online and offline will be fascinating. Will technology make it easier to form long-lasting, meaningful relationships? Or will it isolate and divide us? Hopefully, everything will work out for the better.
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