Robert J. Lenton: The Birth Of A New Society
Chapter
Love Online1
27
Robert J. Brym and Rhonda L. Lenton
THE BIRTH OF A NEW SOCIETY
It is not often that one gets to witness the birth of a new society. Yet, the birth of a new society is exactly what is happening on the Internet today. The society is growing quickly. Numbering 40 million people in
1996, it reached 375 million in 2000. It grew to more than 700 million in 2005. In 2005, only China and India were bigger than the society of the Internet.
But, is it really a society? A society is a large, enduring network of social interaction that survives by accomplishing five main tasks:
(1) preserving order, (2) producing and distributing goods and services,
(3) teaching new members, (4) providing its members with …show more content…
By the middle of 2000, the seven largest online dating sites on the Internet boasted over 12 million registered members and many more “guests” or “visitors.” Of these seven large sites, four are based in the U.S. The U.K., Israel, and Canada host the other three large sites. The Canadian site, Webpersonals, and its associated Womanline.com and Manline.com sites, have more than one million members, about a quarter of them Canadian residents.
Advertising revenues aside, membership subscriptions generate up to
$450 000 per month per million registered members. Business StartUps magazine ranked online dating as one of the top five business ideas of 2000 and beyond (“Market Overview,” 2000; “Mediametrix’s,” 2000;
“DatingClub.com,” 2000; Rogers, 2000; “uDate.com,” 2000).
How does an online dating site work? Typically, any Internet user may browse the ads free of charge. However, to place an ad and …show more content…
Some 55 percent of respondents spoke on the phone three or more times before first getting together with someone they met online. Only
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PA R T 6 • G L O B A L I Z AT I O N A N D D E V E L O P M E N T
2 percent of respondents met face to face the same day they established contact. About a third met within a week and a quarter within two weeks of first contact, with the remaining 40 percent taking more than two weeks to meet. This suggests that most respondents approach online dating cautiously, taking the time to collect information and grow comfortable before going out on a first date. On the other hand, a minority is quick—in our judgment, too quick—to date.
Misrepresentation. People do not always give accurate information when they place personal ads online. Some people misrepresent themselves to stimulate interest. In the online survey, people who had placed personal ads were asked if they had ever given inaccurate information about their appearance, job, education, income, age, marital status, interests and hobbies, and whether they have children.
Love Online1
27
Robert J. Brym and Rhonda L. Lenton
THE BIRTH OF A NEW SOCIETY
It is not often that one gets to witness the birth of a new society. Yet, the birth of a new society is exactly what is happening on the Internet today. The society is growing quickly. Numbering 40 million people in
1996, it reached 375 million in 2000. It grew to more than 700 million in 2005. In 2005, only China and India were bigger than the society of the Internet.
But, is it really a society? A society is a large, enduring network of social interaction that survives by accomplishing five main tasks:
(1) preserving order, (2) producing and distributing goods and services,
(3) teaching new members, (4) providing its members with …show more content…
By the middle of 2000, the seven largest online dating sites on the Internet boasted over 12 million registered members and many more “guests” or “visitors.” Of these seven large sites, four are based in the U.S. The U.K., Israel, and Canada host the other three large sites. The Canadian site, Webpersonals, and its associated Womanline.com and Manline.com sites, have more than one million members, about a quarter of them Canadian residents.
Advertising revenues aside, membership subscriptions generate up to
$450 000 per month per million registered members. Business StartUps magazine ranked online dating as one of the top five business ideas of 2000 and beyond (“Market Overview,” 2000; “Mediametrix’s,” 2000;
“DatingClub.com,” 2000; Rogers, 2000; “uDate.com,” 2000).
How does an online dating site work? Typically, any Internet user may browse the ads free of charge. However, to place an ad and …show more content…
Some 55 percent of respondents spoke on the phone three or more times before first getting together with someone they met online. Only
NEL
349
350
PA R T 6 • G L O B A L I Z AT I O N A N D D E V E L O P M E N T
2 percent of respondents met face to face the same day they established contact. About a third met within a week and a quarter within two weeks of first contact, with the remaining 40 percent taking more than two weeks to meet. This suggests that most respondents approach online dating cautiously, taking the time to collect information and grow comfortable before going out on a first date. On the other hand, a minority is quick—in our judgment, too quick—to date.
Misrepresentation. People do not always give accurate information when they place personal ads online. Some people misrepresent themselves to stimulate interest. In the online survey, people who had placed personal ads were asked if they had ever given inaccurate information about their appearance, job, education, income, age, marital status, interests and hobbies, and whether they have children.