Online dating is deceptive and dangerous
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Our society has become accustomed to meeting new people online, and it seems individuals aren’t concerned with the dangers associated with online dating.
Adults have led the way of finding online dates and it has caused teens to follow in the dangerous and futile trend. There’s nothing wrong chatting online with friends or family, but it’s unsafe to meet strange people online and give out personal information.
Searching for a soul mate with a couple of back and forth e-mails or paying a membership to the latest dating Web site is hardly setting the foundation for a solid meaningful relationship. Is it possible to find love online? I say no.
The Internet is bursting with online predators looking to take advantage of naive people for companionship or sex. Women and young teens seem to be the ones most targeted.
Online dating is an effortless way for individuals to interact without having to go out in society and meet people the old-fashioned way. Meeting people at work, school, church or through community organizations is not obsolete. The traditional way of courting should not take a backseat to filling out a profile and hiding behind a computer screen.
The dangers of online dating begin when people start lying. There is no such thing as a white lie. A lie is a lie. Lying about one’s height, weight, age and interests are just a few of the various things people will lie about. Online users are subjected to misleading information from individuals who are afraid to be themselves. They lie as a result.
David Brooks, author of Love, Internet Style, said, “online dating puts structure back into courtship.” The statement is far from the truth. Online dating is dangerous and deceptive.
Dangersofdatingonline.com states, online dating statistics show nearly 40 million Americans are using adult online dating Web sites. Why have people become fascinated with chat rooms and dating Web sites? They are unsafe and people get hurt or die every year from meeting strange people on the Internet.
Each year Internet predators commit more than 16,000 abductions, 100 murders and thousands of rapes, according to InternetPredatorStatistics.com. These days, young teens and adults seem to be the ones taking advantage of surfing through hundreds of profiles and looking at pictures of people who might be fake. Children are stalked and led into situations that might cost them their lives.
The Internet can be addictive. If an individual meets someone one night, how does he or she know the person isn’t online searching for someone else the next? The risk of being placed in a dangerous situation is minimized when people meet others in a decent environment and have one-on-one interaction.
Online dating is unsafe and can be deadly. Unfortunately, in our society people seek to harm others and one way to do this is through the Internet. Meeting people without the barrier of a computer will put structure back into the courtship process.
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Comments
The author doesn't seem to
July 9, 2009 by Anonymous, 19 weeks 3 days ago
Comment id: 374
The author doesn't seem to realize that internetpredatorstatistics.com is a marketing website and not a legitimate source of criminal statistics. If you're going to publish an article please take the time and actually research the topic instead of just looking for anything that jives with your predetermined position.
It seems the author of this
July 9, 2009 by Anonymous, 19 weeks 3 days ago
Comment id: 373
It seems the author of this article is displaying some personal bias and has produced a piece which is bordering on fear-mongering. Such practice is the antithesis of good journalism. A perfect example is this statement:
"Each year Internet predators commit more than 16,000 abductions, 100 murders and thousands of rapes, according to InternetPredatorStatistics.com. These days, young teens and adults seem to be the ones taking advantage of surfing through hundreds of profiles and looking at pictures of people who might be fake. Children are stalked and led into situations that might cost them their lives."
Attempting to make a correlation between predation statistics and online dating without any support is an under-handed tactic and intellectually dishonest. If you wish to make a point, by all means do so but, have the evidence to support your contentions. For instance, in a study of FBI homicide statistics over a period of 11 years, it was found that, "the killing of a woman by a stranger was rare" and most were, "killed by their husband or intimate acquaintance than were murdered by strangers using guns, knives, or any other means" (Kellermann & Mercy, 1992*). If the author believes their position to be correct, then the evidence should be available to support it.
*Kellermann, A. & Mercy, J. (1992). Men, women, and murder: Gender-specific differences in rates of fatal violence and victimization. The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection and Critical Care, 33(1), 1-5.
Don't agree
June 25, 2009 by Anonymous, 21 weeks 3 days ago
Comment id: 369
Good Points
June 16, 2009 by Anonymous, 22 weeks 5 days ago
Comment id: 364
These are great points from all of you! I too found this post considering online dating... and am glad I did. I think anything can be an outlet for dangers... and that will never change, but I wouldnt go as far as saying online dating is a danger its self. There are plenty of ways to keep a safe profile when searching for anything online... even "love". So we should talk about that... and look at the larger, "more trusted" online dating sites out there. (as seen here: http://www.dreamdatingonline.com/) to come up with ideas to make it safer and better for those that do enjoy it.
lovestrucksusan
April 29, 2009 by Anonymous, 29 weeks 4 days ago
Comment id: 309
I completely agree with the comments above and actually work in this industry for www.lovestruck.com who help busy proffesionals find love on line. I think that being cautious is definitely advised when meeting people and the internet as a concept is open to a huge amount of abuse but that doesn't mean that it is all dangerous.
Lots of people have found meaningful and lasting relationships on line and really it's all about honesty if someone will be honest then they are over the phone internet or meeting face to face and if they're a serial dater who's a love rat then that's what they'll be whether you meet them in a nightclub in a shop or at work.
I believe children will always need protection on line which should be looked at by the parents but children are also open to danger every time you let them out alone. Parents need to look at the child's behaviour and see if they are concerned.
it isn't easy the internet is the most amazing and dangerous thing in the world but it's here now and in this age it's all about who you are and how you're using it.
Thanks
Susan Lancaster
http://www.lovestruck.com
where busy people click
Online or offline there is bad you can not compare
April 27, 2009 by Anonymous, 29 weeks 6 days ago
Comment id: 293
I totally disagree with you on this thousands of people from all walks of life have found their soul mate, and many people continue to find new friends and form relationships daily on these dating and flirt sites. Sure there are many bad people on the internet but isnt it the same in the offline world. Is there not many predators who walk the streets waiting for victims.
Anonymous is right
April 18, 2009 by Anonymous, 31 weeks 1 day ago
Comment id: 263
"Is it possible to find love online? I say no." My S.O. and I alone prove you wrong. I am curious to know what you think of meeting people through the classifieds in the newspapers. Fact is there is a right and a wrong way to do everything. You can safely meet people from the internet or dangerously meet someone from work, church, or a community organization. By your logic, people shouldn't date others they meet in college classes. It's dangerous! That's how Ted Bundy met all of his victims!
Hot air + statistics do not make an argument
April 15, 2009 by Anonymous, 31 weeks 4 days ago
Comment id: 246
You say it's impossible to find love online, but you don't back it up. You don't even define love. I would be willing to bet that most people who are interested in meeting people online aren't even looking for love, just a relationship.
You then give us a statistic: dangersofonlinedating.com says that 40 million Americans use "adult online dating websites." I have to ask if that number is supposed to scare me. "Oh no," I say. "40 million?! That's over 9000!" Your assumption is that 40 million Americans date excusively online. That's completely untrue; most people meet both online and offline. Nobody is filling out profiles and chatting with people online while they ignore the people next to them. Also, those statistics are completely deceptive; social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace are included in the 40 million. Surely you don't expect me to believe that everyone on Myspace and Facebook is there just to look for a date.
It's interesting that you say that people get hurt or die from meeting "strange" people on the internet. Far more people are hurt or die from meeting people without the help of the internet. Car accidents, drowning, gang violence... none of these reflect internet trends. Why are you so insistent that sexual predators and the internet connected. The fact is they're not. According to the Connecticut Center for the prevention of Child Abuse (CCPCA), 95% of all sexual assault victims knew their predators and met offline.
Yes, the internet can be addivctave. So can cigarrettes, video games, and food. What does that have to do with online dating?
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