By Sonam Sawlani
EchoSonam@gmail.com

Over the years, the media has been bombarding us with an oversupply of negative perceptions on the whole idea of online dating or rather, looking for love online.

Although the stigma associated with online dating still exists, an increasing number of youths these days have altered their opinions and no longer think “it’s unsafe” or that “only desperate people look for companions online”.

While Singaporeans are found to be frequenting online dating sites more than Australians and Americans, in China, the rate has been increasing at 60 per cent per year. Overall, a great number of singles around the world have embraced online dating as a legitimate means to meet both new and interesting people in their lives.

Significantly, the privacy and security offered in the process of online dating seems to attract many young Singaporean singles who have been increasingly enrolling themselves at websites of dating agencies such as GoMovieDate.com, Clique Wise and Singles Mingle.

A 21 year-old student of Singapore Polytechnic who only wants to be known as Stella, was previously “one of those people who thought looking for a partner online was unsafe.” Today, she feels it is ironic how she has enrolled herself on one of the popular dating sites in Singapore.

However, signing up for such services does not necessarily need to be for the purpose of finding “that special someone”. For some, it serves as a useful ground to meet people who share similar interests or simply, to make new friends.

“I think an online dating site serves as a good platform for young people to widen their social circles and get to know people from different walks of life,” she added.

Meanwhile, Raymond Tang, 22, an undergraduate from the National University of Singapore, shared that he has developed some strong friendships via online dating sites.

“I always thought that people on such sites are looking for love only, but I am glad that I have been making more friends instead. As long as you view the whole thing as a healthy activity, you will benefit from it in various aspects.”

He also explained that some of his friends who turned to online dating have ended up in stable relationships and even marriages with interesting personalities, which is contradictory to the long-lived misconception that the range of personality types who date online is limited only to internet geeks or loners.

Besides, online dating serves as a helpful tool for those who are shy of the conventional methods of meeting people face-to-face.

“I find it easier to meet new people on the internet rather than face-to-face because I feel more nervous that way. If you are the sort of person who is shy and reserved and find it difficult communicating with people in real life, then this would be a better choice,” said Samantha Siew, 23, a fresh graduate from Nanyang Technological University.

Fruitful stories of online dating are becoming increasingly common today, where the traditional family pressure to get married is colliding with both the difficulty of meeting a parent-approved mate and the modern desire for true love, resulting in the continuous popularity of online dating sites.