Online Dating - Cultural Trends - M/Cyclopedia of New Media

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From M/Cyclopedia of New Media

==Cultural Trends==

===History of Cultural Trends===

Meeting friends is one of the most important part for people’s society life. Before the middle of last century, because of the technological limitation, people could only know friends and meet friends around their living area. Most of the friends are therefore people’s classmates, working colleagues and neighbours. As technology keeps improving, a service called “Live dating systems�? is emerging. It is a dating system defined as “any systemic means of improving matchmaking via rules or technology to support people to communicate with others more easily.�? For example: “Video dating�?, “Phone dating�?, and “Online dating services�? are the most common systems in the world of Dating system.

Video dating system: This system was very common between 1980s and 1990s, where customers gave a performance on video. Using VHS tape to make a record and then send to other cities or countries is a common way in this system. Also, some services would record and play back videos for men and women on alternate days to minimize the chance that customers would meet each other on the street.

Phone dating system: Using this system, customers connect to a common voice mail or phone-chat server at a local phone number. However, a key problem is that people are hard to differentiate a normal phone dating service from a “phone sex�? services.

Online dating services system: This system has been becoming more and more common since 1990s. This system can link video-, and phone- system together using the advanced technology. People can chat and see others’ face through Internet.

1 Comparing how people in different generation using the online dating service
2 Further Information

[edit] Comparing how people in different generation using the online dating service

Online dating lures 60-plus players reported that Match.com vice-president Trish Mcdermott said that online dating was as popular for seniors as it was for other age groups in 2004. Also, the information from various web sites reveal that there were around 5 to 15 percent of user who are over 55 years old.

In fact, according to Who’ll you’ll meet and what you’ll pay, the nowadays situations is that most of the web sites are serving users of all ages from 18 to 80 year olds and from all backgrounds and income levels. But the main targets are people from 25-40.

For example, the dating service in Cracker, Brisbane are divided into 5 age groups including 18-25, 26-35, 36-50, 51-70 and 71+. The range of age for the younger groups are smaller than the older groups reflects the fact that the main users of the web sites are younger people. Separating the groups in smaller interval can help the youngsters to look for their friends more effectively.

===Why People Use the Online Dating Service?===

Where singles click: Niche dating sites can help refine search for love reports that millions of people continue to search for love online. In fact, when people cannot look for the suitable one to be their partner in the “face-to-face�? world, they would like to find in the cyber world. This becomes a main reason why people use the online dating service. People are willing to use Internet to develop their people network. Therefore, the number of online dating users keep increasing everyday, and most of them hope that they can meet new friends or lovers through the services.

===What Kinds of Services the Web Sites Provide?===

First of all, after people register to be a member in a online dating system, they upload their personal detail and photos. At the same time, they can access to other users datail and start their research. A very important function in the system is that it provides a place for the users to introduce and look for friends by themselves. When they find someone they are interested in, they can make online connection to him/her, be a friend with him or ever date him as well.