No one can deny the fact that online dating has come a very long way. From writing love letters to going on virtual dates, online dating is constantly changing and evolving for the better. Millions of people all around the world are active users of at least one or the other dating application or site. With time, many new features, possibilities, and capabilities pop up in these sites and apps.
The evolution of dating apps and site provides users with the chance to make more social connections, find ideal partners, and even romantic adventures. The profound use of technology and the internet is one reason why dating apps are quickly changing, evolving, and transforming. Online dating keeps adapting to the changes happening in the world. As such, there’s a lot of changes that are evident and still ongoing. Let’s have a look at some of these changes across various online dating apps.
The beginning of online dating
Before computers and technology dominated the world, people resorted to writing love letters and mailing them. But things changed as technology became more popular and widespread. As people started to use computer devices, it meant that there were more people online. Today, online dating is extremely popular, and millions of people actively use online dating apps.
It was the year 1965 when the first primitive form of online dating got introduced to the world. Developed by two Harvard students, the first online dating was in the form of a questionnaire. It consisted of seventy-five questions that singles needed to fill out. This was the first computer-assisted matchmaking system. A year later, more than 90,000 would use this matchmaking service to find potential partners.
The first online dating site
The 1980s and 1990s were times when people were turning to computers more and more. Technology developed and access to computers was now easier and easily available as well. This meant that more people spend their time online. For many people, it was an exciting venture and saw it as an opportunity. The year was 1995 when the first-ever website for online dating got launched.
Match.com was a sigh of relief for many people who wanted to go on dates but did not have the time or energy to do so. It was an alternative to physical dating, which required a lot of time and energy for singles. So, when online dating came in the form of Match.com, people jumped on the opportunity. Singles all around the world made use of this technological miracle to find dates and even partake in harmless flirting.
Online dating and interracial couples
The evolution of online dating also meant that people were now more open-minded and receptive to people from different ethnic, racial, and cultural backgrounds. As online dating became more and more popular, people started to look into options. Researches shows and points towards the fact that there’s a link between online dating’s popularity and the increase in the number of interracial couples.
With the launch of the first dating site Match.com, there has been a great spike in the number of interracial couples. The number only keeps on increasing with the rise of more and more online dating platforms.
The impact on same-sex couples
Before the start of online dating, people who identified as LGBTQ+ had no safe way of dating or meeting. It was taboo. However, as online dating started to get more popular, LGBTQ+ people could also easily connect with one another. This is because dating platforms came up that were exclusive to this community. In recent years, applications like Tinder, Grindr, and even Planet Romeo came up that had provisions for LGBTQ+ people to meet, chat, and possibly develop romantic ties.
Grindr was the first-ever gay dating app. It revolutionized how gays would meet and chat forever. People looking for same-sex partners and relationships no longer had to do so in the dark. They could now just open the app, find someone they like, start chatting, and hopefully hit it off. The evolution of dating apps greatly improved the dating conditions of the LGBTQ+ community.
Changes within the dating apps
When we talk about the evolution of dating apps, we also need to look into the internal changes within the dating platforms themselves. Apps like tinder underwent several changes ever since their inception. Tinder, for the longest time, was all about swiping left and right and getting a match. But recently, developers of this dating app announced to add a video chat feature.
If we also look into all the other dating platforms, we can clearly see that they underwent so many changes. Before, dating apps and sites only supported simple messaging. Nowadays, you can send photos, gifs, memes, stickers, videos, and many other forms of media. This makes interaction more fun and lively. Clearly, online dating has come a long way from where it once was.
The coming in of social media
Social media also greatly accelerated the growth and use of online dating services. With the coming in of social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and even Snapchat. Millions of people are constantly active on these apps, and plenty of people use them as a substitute for dating apps. There are even dating and hookup apps like Free Fuckbook App which look to emulate the aesthetics and features of popular social media sites.
There’s an application or a site for every kind of person. Whether you’re straight, gay, bisexual, lesbian, or any other identification, you will surely find an app that will match you with someone of your liking and interest. This was impossible many years back. But now, it’s just at the push of a button away.
Conclusion
Without a trace of doubt, technology is the prime factor and sole reason for the evolution of online dating. Before technology was rampant, people were clueless about the possibilities that existed. But as soon as computers came to fashion and people started using them more and more, online dating received a great push.
Nowadays, millennials and Gen Z are the ones who are the most active on dating apps. Whether it’s for a casual meet-up, to find a romantic partner, or just to find someone interesting, people turn to these dating apps. From waiting weeks and months to receive a letter back, online dating has come a long way. Now, it takes a matter of seconds for people to connect with one another and find a potential match.