Before MySpace and Facebook were as popular as they are today for finding new friends, potential dates, or even a husband/wife, there were other services people might not be aware of.
Services such as Match.com or eHarmony were, and still are places to search for a potential love interest in a safe, secure way.
Match.com give singles the opportunity to express themselves through various writing sections, photos, as well as select preferences regarding the person they’re searching for. With the click of a mouse, members can instantly see photos and read about potential matches in their area.
I think this type of service is a great way to enable your personality/identity in ways that was never thought possible before. You are able to post things about yourself including interests, hobbies, and what physical features you have. AND you can also post on your page what you are looking for in a partner which shows your personality in a different way. It lets you show the people looking at your page if you would be interested in them or not.
A big controversy that has been hitting these dating sites is that the gay community was unable to use them until recently. Match.com has recently added the feature to allow gays to use the service just like anyone else. I think this is great because it might be hard to meet people in your area in the gay community and this gives them a chance to see who else is out there in a safe and fun way.
Another great thing about Match.com is that they understand the importance of privacy and integrity. All communication between members on Match.com happens through an anonymous email network. The names and contact information of all our members are kept confidential until the member personally decides to share it with a potential match. And, to help ensure the integrity of their community, every profile and photo is screened by their Customer Care team for appropriateness before it’s posted to the site.
I think their privacy policy will help people to say what they really feel because they know it is safe and being kept confidential. It also is a place where everyone is there for the same purpose. Unlike Facebook where some people are there for friends and local events, this site is clear that it is to find a match.
On top of being safe, and fun, I believe Match.com will allow many people who are too shy to go out and meet people to have a chance to find someone they love. Just like some people are too shy to talk in class, imagine how hard it would be to speak up to someone you might like. This is a space where you can break our of your shell and feel empowered to say what you want and maybe talk to people you never would have had the chance to before.
What do you think about online dating sites? Good….Bad……?
I agree with you that Match.com’s users can better express themselves because the website gives the users a secure sense of privacy. This reflects one of the importances of privacy in Marx’ article Privacy and Technology, in that privacy is a resource in interpersonal relations, exchanged as relationships progress. And more fitting people are trying to find love on the site, the confidentiality allows for better communication flow and facilitates intimacy to develop, since personal relationships are based on the voluntary sharing of personal information with others, having their privacy well protected, individuals feel free to be themselves as they get to know others better.
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