A Net dating service, also known as “online dating,” is an example of a dating system and allows individuals, couples and groups to meet online and possibly develop a social, romantic or sexual relationship. Net dating services provide un-moderated matchmaking through the use of personal computers and the Internet.

Such services generally allow people to provide personal information, then search for other individuals using criteria such as age range, gender and location. Most sites allow members to upload photos of themselves and browse the photos of others. Sites may offer additional services, including webcasts , online chat, and message boards. Sites typically allow people to register for free but may offer services which require a monthly fee.

Many sites are broad-based, with members from a variety of backgrounds looking for different types of relationships. Other sites are more specific, based on the type of members, interests, location, or relationship desired.

U.S. residents spent $469.5 million on online dating and personals in 2004, the largest segment of “paid content” on the web, according to a study conducted by the Online Publishers Association (OPA) and comScore Networks.

Factors in online dating experience

Online dating sites operate by the same paradigms that govern all relationships, though factors specific to the nature of online communications may affect the experience.

Positive factors include:

• Dating sites allow members to meet more people than they would without such sites
• People can easily browse other members’ profiles before deciding to communicate
• Members can communicate anonymously and with reduced fear or social awkwardness
• The effect of geography is mitigated and members can meet people in distant locations
• Dating sites that offer free or moderately priced services allow users to socialize with other singles in a convenient, inexpensive way.

Negative factors include:

• Some members may join the site solely to view content and are not potential matches
• Men may vastly outnumber women
• Members may misrepresent themselves, including their age, gender, physical attributes or socio-economic status.
• Some site members may be married and may misrepresent themselves as single or otherwise “available.”

Design issues of dating services

There are many potential design problems in creating a successful dating service website

• A website where one has to pay to join can create an adverse selection, causing only desperate people to join. On the other hand, this can help ensure that the people on the website are serious about dating; but most websites allow anyone to post an ad for free and only pay to contact other people, negating this "serious" benefit.
• A website which seeks to incorporate broader elements than simple dating, such as a social networking website such as friendster may attract more people, and especially women, to a website.
• It is in the best financial interests of the service to keep communication between prospective daters on the website as much as possible, yet many desire to be able to use a normal instant messaging service to converse easily.
• Most users who have found a date or mate seldom elect to remove their profile or ad, causing the amount of users on a website to look overinflated, but this is usually in the best financial interest of the dating service.
• Websites which allow one to post ads for free but not respond to them can cause many people to create fake accounts

Popular net dating services operating as of March 2005 include:

• Eharmony.com [1]
• CozyDating.com [2]
• Date.com [3]
• JDate.com [4]
• Lavalife [5]
• Match.com [6]
• Matchdoctor.com [7]
• MatchNet.co.uk [8]
• OkCupid [9]
• True.com [10]
• Adult FriendFinder [11]
• Yahoo! Personals [12]
• SouthernSocial.com [13]

While not strictly a dating service, the personals section of craigslist [14] performs a similar function.

Useful Links

• DatingDr.com - Dating Guide [15]
• About.com's Dating Guide [16]
• Dating Site Reviews [17]
• How To Start A Dating Site [18]
• Relationship and Dating Advice.com's Online Dating Guide [19]
• European Relationship Service -- Parship [20]
• online Dating Portal [21]

Reference

See also: dating system, net porn service Top Dating Sites and Dating Services Online