We found love in cyberspace | The Stream - Al Jazeera English

[View the story "We found love in cyberspace" on Storify]

Storified by The Stream? Thu, Feb 14 2013 07:52:21

Online dating has gone from stigmatised to?widespread in a few short years. This infographic demonstrates the increasing?prevalence?and?profitability?of the online dating industry:

Online DatingAJstream

Popular online dating site eHarmony?boasts over 20 million members. Here is one of their ads:

eHarmony Ad - Be Yourselfstevensifyfrancis

Many sites tout their scientific approach to online dating, compiling data from user responses and algorithms to make better matches. OKCupid founder?Christian?Rudder explains his algorithm-based approach to matchmaking in this video:

Inside OKCupid: The math of online dating - Christian RudderTEDEducation

Some have criticised this scientific approach to finding love, noting that it has the potential to reinforce social hierarchies. Critics point to OKCupid's data on responses by race, noting that trends such as African-American women?receiving?the lowest number of responses would be reinforced by the sites algorithms:

OK Cupid RaceAJstream

Many users of online dating sites have taken a scientific approach themselves to improve their dating fortunes. Amy Webb explains how she used her background in data analysis to find her husband online in this trailer for her book, "Data: a Love Story":

Data, a Love Story, Amy Webb - 9780525953807penguingroupusa

Others argue that a scientific approach can never?guarantee?a?genuine?connection:

@AJStream No it's just another marketing campaign to boost sales. Those sites only increase your potentialdatepool.True love is unguaranteedchichi_agu

While online dating results in many marriages and committed relationships, this is not the the end-goal of all online daters. The industry has diversified to offer sites with a more "casual" approach to dating.

Funny Zoosk's commercialthecanserman

With the growth and acceptance of the industry, there has been a proliferation of dating sites catering to niche markets:

Food Allergy dating siteAJstream

Farmers Only Commericalfarmersonly

The online dating industry has also seen an explosion of available apps for mobile phones that streamline the dating process. Apps like Tinder simply provide a picture and information on mutual facebook friends. The "Crazy Blind Date" app only provides a name and age and allows users to provide feedback in the form of "kudos" on those they meet up with:

Crazy Blind DateAJstream

While some appreciate dating apps like?Crazy Blind Date and?Tinder's?efficiency, others have criticised the apps for making dating a "game" and not providing enough information on potential dates:

Crazy Blind Date by @okcupid is a great idea. Skip through all the BS of online forms and just start meeting people: http://www.crazyblinddate.com/Des Traynor

"Crazy Blind Date" is an app that turns your blind date into a game, I think? http://dthin.gs/Y6YU79Jordan Cohen

So @OkCupid's new "Crazy Blind Date!" initiative is a fun and cute idea in THEORY. In practice, many will be set up with their exes.Sexy Typewriter

The Tinder app might be the creepiest thing everJohn Wolfner

The stigma surrounding online dating has been largely replaced with humour about the process. Here, blogger Avner Geller pokes fun at the types of things commonly seen on OK Cupid profiles:

avnergeller.blogspot.com

Twitter users shared many online dating experiences with The Stream, both good and bad:

@daniahy @AJStream My dad bought me a membership despite my scepticism, advising to find women with "a job and education." Found 1.Chase Winter

@AJStream we had just met and he took me to the cemetery, hoping to score. #MyWorstOnlineDatingNash Tysmans

Netizens have differing opinions about how technology affects our attitudes toward love,?monogamy?and relationships, but seem to agree that online dating is here to stay:

@AJStream relationships r more disposable when the "perfect match" could b the nxt click.It rly eliminates the need to put forth prpr effortSafia

@AJEnglish @ajstream #Technology and #love: people can shop for love instead of hunting for it themselves. How much is your love worth?David Pabon

internet didn't change our attitude towards love.i am canadian and my boyfriend is jordanian.the village is bigger. that's all.Camille Dautomne

Technology has made relationships harder. This days, conversation become texting, arguments become phone calls, and feelings become satus updates.Chiz Chizim

@mmbilal@AJStream I think online dating has come to stay,it has become norm due to the fact that some good % of our life is done online.Na Allah

Source: http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201302140011-0022545

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