The question is not really whether you could find love on the internet – of course you can! – so therefore I don’t really understand these succesful “exemples” of love on the internet. Should I thereby conclude that, yes, its a marvellous love-culture-place/space? Well, its not. But its not deprived of love either. Whether virtual or real space, love is out there (or – in there…)
I think things have changed even over the last two years.
People actually have less time to socialise due to longer working hours, and many people of both genders are put off by the aggressive sexual competitiveness of the “cattle market” conventional meeting places like commercial pubs and clubs, at the same time many more people use the internet now (only a few years ago it was dominated by younger White or Asian males who worked as IT professionals.)
Meeting someone on the net can only be a precursor to meeting them in real life anyway, and there is the obvious danger of lies, fakes and trolls. the fees on dating sites are not just to cover hosting fees etc but insurance in case something really dark happens at a meeting and the sites brand image is wrecked by bad publicity, and also a way of detering the frivolous.
I still wouldn’t use them TBH – there are also a lot of people who deliberately use them so they can play the game with multiple partners in different areas of the UK – OK if it is a swingers board than fair enuff if everyone knows the score, but leading people into thinking they are the only one is predatory, and fucks over everyone in the end (including the person doing it).
I heard of a person in our area who kept doing this with different girls; but karma caught up with him in the end. The last girl turned out to be lying about her age – now he is in HMP and on the nonce list!
Of course this could happen with real life though but sometimes people think because its the net you can get away with anything.
That said two people may meet partly through discussions on a normal messageboard or be brought together by one through shared interests, and have a genuine relationship.
(Although I still wouldn’t think its a good idea turning any rave board into a overt dating board though – peoples emotions can be muddled by drugs and the moderators may end up having to pick up the pieces….)
