7 disadvantages of online dating you need to be aware of
From its birth in the 90s, online dating has been the target of criticism time and again. Those against claim that registering on dating platforms is a waste of time and will ultimately lead to nothing. And yet, the market is booming, a fact even proven by statistics on online dating market usage.
Still, there are providers who promise a high chance of success, which in turn is confirmed by success stories.
Is the criticism of online dating justified?
But who should you believe when you are single? Should you believe those who consistently express a positive opinion or those who advise against it? At the end of the day, it's your decision, but one thing for sure: online dating is a double-edged sword.
In this article, we'll take a look at the seven most criticized disadvantages. Maybe this way we'll find out why some people despair and come to the conclusion that online dating sucks.
The seven most criticized disadvantages of online dating:
- Online dating can be a waste of time
- Online dating makes some people mentally ill
- Superficial conversations and small talk all the time
- Meeting friends and colleagues possible
- You can meet weird people and psychopaths too
- Online dating scam / love scamming
- Costs money and gives nothing
1. Online dating can be a waste of time
"I signed up and even two weeks later I still haven't met any singles," is one of the statements that comes across most often.
The voice that emphasizes the criticism of online dating as a waste of time comes up regularly from men in particular. In fact, you may sign up on a dating platform and then *drum roll* nothing happens at first.
In most cases, however, this waste of time in online dating is due to the fact that people don't invest enough time in advance. Without an attractive profile, you will be lost in the mass of singles. Thus, before you hope to achieve the first successes shortly after registering, we have to disappoint you. You should take full advantage of the design options immediately after registration. Dating platforms usually offer you a detailed profile, free texts and more than just a picture to impress other members.
Next comes the lack of self-initiative. If you're not active yourself, don't be surprised. Many singles go to online dating expecting to have quite a few conversations after a short time. Preferably without having to do anything. An attitude that ends up in frustration and that leads to singles being annoyed by online dating.
If your profile doesn't score twelve out of ten, you won't get far without taking the initiative. Women have it much easier in this respect, because they receive dozens of messages every day. But here, too, it is important to separate the wheat from the chaff.
2. Online dating makes some people mentally ill
Another disadvantage that comes under a lot of criticism when it comes to online dating: online dating makes people sick. Wait, but how are you supposed to get sick from online dating?
Quite simply ...
Take a look at the media!
Expectations of beauty rule the world, and that of online dating as well. That is, those who cannot convince with a pretty face or an attractive body, stands as an ugly duckling on the sidelines. The almost obsessive search for a partner leads to increased self-doubt.
Those affected in particular are men and women who already suffer from a lack of self-esteem by nature. Be the excess pounds -which are perhaps disease-related-, the not radiant white teeth or simply the issue that one does not care enough about the profile and the matter.
A disadvantage that cannot be denied and that should definitely receive more attention. Basically, all that remains here is to appeal to everyone not to surrender to this pressure. Even the initially unsuccessful search for a partner is not worth falling into a depression.
Which brings us to the next disadvantage of online dating.
3. Superficial conversations and small talk all the time
Not everyone who registers on a dating platform is really looking for a partner. There are singles who only use online dating for affirmation. Some platforms, such as Tinder, even have the reputation of being dominated by posers and women who only want attention.
On the other hand, those who have serious intentions and meet such members quickly find themselves in superficial chats. Any attempt to deepen the acquaintance fails. The interlocutor directs the communication again and again to trivial points.
Profound conversations are skillfully avoided and the focus is on topics such as the day at the gym. To avoid such conversations, it is advisable to take a closer look at dating profiles. From there, you can often tell whether a member has serious intentions or is only interested in small talk and superficial confirmation conversations.
A disadvantage that often arises from the fact that singles are already rather superficial in their search. The solution: look at profiles that not only consist of pretty pictures, but are also attractive in terms of content.
4. Meeting friends and colleagues possible
Surely you don't think you're the only one in your circle of acquaintances who uses online dating. One admittedly funny disadvantage of online dating is that you may well run into familiar faces.
As the statistics above clearly show, dating platforms have become very popular. Meeting people you know in your private life when you sign up is therefore not uncommon. But is it really so bad to meet someone from your circle of acquaintances while dating online? Maybe it's even the perfect opportunity to get closer. Not everyone knows who in their circle is currently looking for a partner.
Or do you know the relationship status of your work colleagues and your entire circle of friends?
Instead of seeing an opportunity for criticism here, you should rather see an opportunity. An opportunity to make contact via the dating portal with humor and to address the funny coincidence. And quite honestly: Why should it be awkward for you if these people also seek their happiness via online dating.
5. You can meet weird people and psychopaths too
Another disadvantage of online dating is that you never know at first who is really behind the profile.
Maybe the pretty blonde is really the 53-year-old cab driver or a psycho is lurking behind the handsome man's face. This disadvantage is subject to fundamental criticism in the age of the Internet: anyone can be whoever they want and assume a different identity.
The same also applies to online dating, which means that here it is better to be safe than sorry!
Women in particular should be careful with whom they make contact. For this reason, one of the golden rules is never to divulge personal data. This applies not only to your home address, but also to any information about your employer. After all, it is possible to get to know each other online without directly revealing private and intimate information. To make sure before the first date that the person is really the one from the profile, many vendors offer the video chat function.
This leads us to the next disadvantage, which the ladies are increasingly experiencing. When it comes to online dating, many men seem to have a tendency to expose themselves in front of the camera or to send pictures of their junk. The so-called dick pics is definitely one of the problems that can occur in online dating.
Still, there are several other curious folks who sign up for dating platforms...
6. Online dating scam / love scamming
Serious providers do everything they can to track down and delete such members, but they still come by. People who register on dating apps with fraudulent intentions are not uncommon.
In most cases, men are the target of such fake profiles who, of course, only want the best from you - the money. These include scammers who try to steer the unsuspecting single men to other platforms with a beautiful female profile. Here, the messages contain bizarre links and the promise to meet on the other website.
The so-called love scamming is also one of the scams that are being reported more and more often these days. At the beginning, everything seems quite normal and inconspicuous messages are exchanged. As the user becomes more and more enthusiastic about his or her counterpart, he or she is on the direct path to falling into the trap. Unfortunately, no meeting and getting to know each other is possible because it is prevented by financial difficulties. Be it the sick grandma who needs urgent and expensive treatment or problems with raising rent. But as soon as you transfer the measly amount of 1,000 euros, nothing stands in the way of the date.
That's right, these scammers take advantage of their counterpart's "desperation" to enrich themselves financially.
The solution: never accept referrals to other sites and always keep your account details to yourself. As pitiful as the story may be, it is 100 percent a scam.
7. Costs money and gives nothing
This apparent disadvantage is often criticized in online dating. It overlaps with point one, where we have already revealed how the word "waste of time" can be replaced by "chance of success".
In fact, online dating is only free to a limited extent, and in this variant it is not particularly promising. If you are seriously looking and want to use all the features, you need to invest. Usually, these are terms that bind you to the platform for a certain period of time. For a monthly fee, you have access to all features.
However, many people forget that the platform providers also have running costs that need to be covered. Be it the server rent, the customer service or the programming of the software, with which you receive contact suggestions. All this leads to high costs, part of which the providers pass on to their members. A perfectly legitimate process, for which some operators even promise a guarantee of contact. And finally, Parship, for example, one of the premium operators, has a placement rate of over 40 percent.
So, the fact that you're blowing your money on online dating is a criticism that seems to depend on a number of factors. In the end, you're the author of your own luck. There are even ways to save during your membership. Register for free with a reputable dating site and wait one to two weeks. Most of the time, after this period, there are interesting offers with discounted memberships. Whether you use this time wisely is then up to your attitude and your profile design.
Our conclusion on the 7 disadvantages you need to be aware of when it comes to online dating.
The fact that online dating has advantages and disadvantages is an open secret and cannot be denied. Whether you're one of those who speaks positively or online dating sucks is up to you, all things considered. Signing up and hoping to hit the jackpot after a few days can quickly leave you feeling desperate and frustrated in the end.
Admittedly: Online dating is partly driven by superficiality. But even that doesn't make it impossible to find the person your heart desires. Initiative, a good attitude and patience are all part of the process, but they can really pay off in the end