It’s Worth $1.9 Billion, but Does Online Dating Work? / image via Mashable

A new study by online observer Mashable has disclosed that Online Dating, a Web favorite since 2007 that has pulled in more than 40 million users, may still teeter on the question of whether it actually helps the lovelorn or the partner-seeker.

The report quoted by Yahoo News said only 17% of couples who said they met online actually got married, compared to 27% who said they were introduced to each other by mutual friends, and 38% who said they met at work or in school.

On the other hand, couples who started from a meeting through online dating sites actually exchanged married vows only after a relatively short dating period of 18 months or less.

Couples who decided to marry after the first meeting offline decided to delay for as long as three years before tying the knot.

The Mashable study, however, came with a cautionary word about the online dating phenomenon. It noted that people on dating sites online typically do not tell the whole truth about certain information provided as landscape data for dating sites.

For instance, Mashable points out that a vast majority of people providing information about themselves on dating sites – as much as 81% – lie about their age, height or weight.

The study found that women normally declare some 8 pounds off their actual weight, while men typically add an inch or two to their height.

However, the research admitted that these did not appear to bother dating site visitors a bit, reporting that as of 2011, dating sites online chalked up at least $1.9 billion in revenue.

Source: Mashable

About Laurentiu Stan

Laurentiu is a young writer, who seeks to become a big name in the news field. He discovers his passion for writing in primary school and starts with short essays in his mother tongue. In college he begins writing essays in English as a freelancer, being attracted by news reporting. Now he’s the one who brings you the latest news as soon as they happen! He’s a soccer fan, music enthusiast and loves to travel.