Online Dating

               In lab we explored the topic of online dating sites and the style of online dating. This was a first for me; even though online dating has become much more common with the modern use of technology I have never tried to experience it. As we went through creating the online cupid account some things surprised.

               The format of the account was very in depth, there were a lot of questions to form criteria that I did not expect. For example drug and alcohol use to “Are you a dog or cat person?” There were also different varieties of profile picture of people, I also asked myself what were the reasons that I have never really thought about online dating. Besides the tinder app for smart phones which is popular among younger people and on college campuses, none of my friends that I know of have ever creating online dating profiles. I have always associated online dating with a negative persona, but as it becomes more common I guess the general population has stepped away from this. The main reason I feel this way might be because of the negative things we hear on the news about meeting people online and TV shows like catfish. Personally I would rather find someone the normal or old fashioned way like meeting a girl in a class or at a party or through a mutual friend. In a way (which might be wrong of me) I’ve associated online dating with being desperate or lack of social skills. Throughout this class more a more positive side of online communication has been touched on rather than negative, as I went through the questions and criteria for the profile it seemed as though so many things had already been answered so I thought what would there be to talk about if I were to meet this person face to face? They already know so much about me. I also thought how much of what they have advertised is true? If I would go meet someone what are the chances that they really are who they say they are?

               I am also in a way against putting a lot of personal stuff online, because anyone who really wants to do some digging could find information on you. Personally facebook  has lost its novelty for me and many others, I have not put a facebook status up in probably over a year. Even on twitter people rarely use their real names to show up on a feed. Since facebook interest seems to be fading it makes me wonder if online dating will continue to grow for the general population, fade away, or only grow for a certain group of people. It was an interesting lab to see how the online dating system works, but I do not see myself ever using it for myself.

Online Dating Isn't Weird?

When thinking about online dating, I am not sure of my feelings towards the process. I am a strong believer in face to face communication and relationships that are built from common friendships, situations, and interests, so I am skeptical about the whole idea of meeting someone based on carefully formulated and edited profiles online. However, I do believe that online dating creates an outlet for people to find those connections, and act upon them in order to foster new relationships that they would not have found before.

Although I am turned off by the way eHarmony approaches love as a math equation, I do think that this algorithm is successful in matching potential partners. Their website takes a clear "logical" and "numerical" approach to something that I find very intuitive, but I do think that the success rate shows that their approach does work. 438 people get married every day in the United States because of eHarmony. EHarmony advertises that compatibility is the core focus and intent of the site. Former CEO Greg Waldorf stated, “It's not about matching people who like certain hobbies … it’s about compatibility. You go on to the site and tell us about you, rather than about what you want.” (http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article48) It makes sense to me that relationships are suggested based on compatibility instead of registered members formulating a check list of a desired partner. The intensive survey on eHarmony is designed for people to take the process seriously. Unlike tinder, which is a site based on attraction and first impressions alone, sites such as eHarmony, match.com, and okcupid use a questionnaire matching system that connects people based on their personality, interests, and qualities.

The more research that I have done about online dating, the more I have warmed up to the idea. I suppose that it makes sense to meet someone in an atmosphere where we spend so much of our time. It almost seems less likely to begin dating someone that we bump into at a bookstore or cafe before than meeting someone through social media through mutual friends. Here is a fun video of why we should be more open to online dating and the normalcy of the process. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fM7Fj1DTmU

Online Dating

There are so many different opinions on online dating, it's a very controversial subject. Some people think it's good, some thinks it's bad, and some people think that some sites are better than others. I am one of those people who think that this online dating can be good when using the right site. In class when we watched the documentary on online dating it was very interesting to me to hear all the different stories of these people who have actually used these sites. The one that stood out to me the most was the one where you made an avatar and went into a virtual world and basically became a different person, to me that wasn't online dating. This woman avatar didn't fall in love with the man behind the screen she fell in love with the avatar he was using and making himself be, this also isn't an effective relationship because they won't be able to get themselves away from the virtual world even if they were to meet up one day, they may be disapointed in the differences they see between real life and virtual life.I just personally don't have good opinions on online dating and I don't think it's an efficient way of dating, it may be a good way to meet people but actually trying to begin a relationship this way isn't what I think is best.
     I found a really good article that breaks down exactly the differences between each of the different online dating sites. http://web.spotcoolstuff.com/best-online-dating-sites
     From this site I have conducted that personally the best site for me would be.......none of them I decided that after being able to break them down the only one I would use would be eHarmony, and that's only if money was no object since it has a pretty steep monthly price. But I really like that they give you a lot of different questions to really match you with someone who is like you and that you would get along with and actually could establish a real connection based on shared interests. In class we discussed the importance of shared interests when it comes to online dating and I really feel that's the only way that a real relationship can be established and that's why sites, for example Tinder, because they are mainly based on attraction level because the only things you see at first are their picture, age, town they live in and their name.
    I am personally skeptical that you could find someone who you are compatible with just by seeing a profile and I found an article that backs that up and also highlights the weaknesses of online dating, which in my opinion is more than the strengths. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scientific-flaws-online-dating-sites/
     If I were to suggest something it would be to make a new site altogether that allows you to make an extensive profile, with many many questions to be able to narrow down your matches. These profile would also have their favorite places and would be set up for the sole purpose of finding people you don't know to meet up but that's it, it would not be used for relationship building.

Online Dating

        I think that at one point in time or another, we have all checked out online dating. The problem is how online dating is defined. I personally wouldn’t restrict online dating to sites such as Match.com or eHarmony. I know plenty of people that met, and started relationships via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; these sites have a primary use other than meeting a future boyfriend or girlfriend. This is an important point to remember because it shows us that we aren’t just restricted to today’s traditional dating sites. 

         I’ve always looked at online dating in a taboo sort of way. We all know it exists, and so many people seem to meet on these sites, but who? Fortunately enough, my girlfriend’s mom and her boyfriend met over online dating. They knew each other before hand, and the site helped bring them together. Luckily, because they knew each other before meeting, some of the  stress and tension was reduced. Others aren’t as fortunate. Guadagno, Bradley, and Kruse report that men are more forthcoming on dating sites than women in most cases (Guadagno, Bradley, & Kruse). This is important when determining who uses these sites more for serious online dating. I could put forth a hypothesis that states that women are more likely to use dating sites as a casual way of “messing around”, and not exactly for obtaining any type of actual face-to-face relationship. Guadagno et al. also state that an individual of either sex is more likely to present a fabricated version of themselves to give off a certain impression (Guadagno, Bradley, & Kruse). I know from personal online experience that I strictly put things up that only help my personal image. Additionally, we all know people who are constantly posting about how amazing their lives are. We talked about similar situations in class; most people who seem the happiest online actually end up being the people looking for the most reassurance in relationships and possibly even in themselves. 

This can all be tied back to online dating because we are always looking for verification that we’re good looking, wanted, and generally desired by other people. I learned a lot through our exercise that online dating has a lot of factors that play into being matched with another person. I personally find it difficult to gain enough interest in a single person based solely on the amount of information they reveal online. In my experience, one girl responded to a question about drugs; the possible answers were yes, yes, but just soft drugs like pot, and no. She said yes, but how could I possibly know the context of her answer without speaking to her? Personally, I am not into girls who do drugs, but she could have been matched with me. However, because of her response, she should have been automatically eliminated. For me, this presents an issue as far as multidimensional matching processes.

All in all, it’s important to remember that all the people you meet online for the most part are real people. Responses can be misleading, and so can online conversation due to the noise involved in the mediums used. I would say that it’s important to be cautious but also open when trying to meet someone online.  

Online Dating

            Getting to know people online tends to be much easier than face to face.  When online, you’re able to trim the fat of most conversations and cut through many of the social norms that you might otherwise be unintentionally giving off or picking up.  This is congruent to what I remember when social media websites were just starting to take off. The most vivid example comes from using Myspace in middle school.  Attending an all boy school, we had the occasional Friday night mixers set up with our paired sister school and most people from each school knew each other, or knew of each other, through the use of the website.  However at the mixers, the guys and girls that would chat regularly online hardly interacted at all in person.  Whether it was because the guys would stand in one place in large groups or the girls pulling their friends away, the event set up to promote a social atmosphere fell short to guys and girls telegraphing indifferent social cues.  Although, of course, a couple hours later and the barriers were dropped and people were back to chatting online.

            In class today was the first time I had seen the inner workings of a modern dating website.  The way it was laid out again took me back to Myspace, where you could answer long surveys that posted to the front of your profile and fill in slots on your side bar that detailed personal information such as your income, body type, religious views, etc. The component of the dating site that shocked me the most was how open most people were to complete strangers.  For example, when trying to determine your compatibility to another’s profile, it allowed you to answer similar questions that the other person had, and would then show how you both stacked up; all of this before the other user has even responded to a message.  The most common ones I noticed people sharing were their views on sleeping together on the first date, whether they were open to having a kinkier partner, and whether the user had remained monogamous in their most recent relationships.  Even though I’ve thought dating sites were partially used for hook ups, the openness these websites offered before engaging in a synchronous chat still took me by surprise.

The Netflix documentary on online dating, When Strangers Click, put into perspective the way the Internet has evolved the manner in which people meet.  Living in a town such as state college for the last four years, one might forget that not every city is primarily made up of people the same age. The ability to meet others greatly diminishes once you consider most people hold a full time job along with numerous other obligations.  For those, online dating websites have played an integral role in connecting them to other people with similar values and interests.  In the documentary, it highlights a few instances of how people living thousands of miles away now have the ability to connect and get to know one another.  The draw to this style of dating is that the user has the freedom to use the medium any time of the day, and any place that has an Internet connection.

            Not every love story with online origins has the fairytale ending.  This past week, a California man notified police when a woman he had met and broke up with online, tried breaking into his house before getting stuck in his chimney.  Another woman from Georgia met a man online supposedly involved in chemical engineering and after talking for a couple months, she was persuaded into sending him money numerous times amounting up to $300,000.  Online dating sites can be a godsend to those who do not have the time or confidence to go out and meet people; however there are still dangers involved and the everyday user should exercise a fair amount of caution when revealing personal contact information.

Online Dating

Online Dating

I think my acceptance of online dating matches the public opinion of it. In class we mention that a lot of people put a disclaimer in their profiles that is along the lines of "I normally never do this kind of thing", and I think that is a holdover from a public stigma over the idea of meeting a romantic partner without a traditional first encounter. When websites like eHarmony and OkCupid started to catch fire, I think is around the time I accepted meeting people online as non-taboo, and then there was Tinder... I think Tinder is probably the best thing to online dating in terms of something that is one hundred percent normal in my eyes. While people on tinder are not all looking for their soul mate, the fact that people are reaching out and interacting with strangers through computer mediated technology in a romantic manner is important. Facebook, MySpace, and Friendster have been around for a while, but they were never "dating applications". Yes, people would meet through these websites in an intimate manner, but that was not the main purpose of these websites. Dating sites have a more serious connotation to them then something like Tinder, but Tinder made it "acceptable" or at the least "commonplace" to talk to then meet up with strangers on the internet. Tinder is a much shallower application then a dating site, but I think that simplicity is what attracted people to it. You do not even meet with these people, but you can in fact just chat them up and trade jokes (although admittedly someone will eventually be upset). Some Tinder matches do not even make it past the first exchange after "Hi". Tinder is simple and accessible, so I think those qualities are what made it a common app on people my ages phones; moreover, this common stranger "dating" app has removed all of the taboo I had personally associated with online dating. In fact; if I hear a couple met on Tinder I think less of them then a couple that met on eHarmony or OkCupid. The jury is still out on sugardaddy.com though.

Online Dating

We live in an age of technological advances at every turn. In recent years it seems that most aspects of human life can be handled by some sort of digital medium whether it be used in daily tasks business wise or being the doorway to social networking. The online social network has become so integrated into our lifestyle that it is hard to see a younger audience without some means of social networking. Online networking has evolved over the years and has begun to sprout out to individual mediums of socializing. With this evolution came the arising of online dating sites such as eHarmony.

Today in class we took a look at one of these sites, OkCupid and created a fictional profile to get to look around the site. Anyone who has dealt with these types of sites must have known immediately our account was fake based how our profile was based off of Michael Scott from the TV show “The Office”. It was pretty obvious which profiles were fakes or were made from others in our own class based on the profile information and time active of the accounts. It’s the creation of these types of fake accounts that I can see the downside of anyone trying online dating seriously. Personally I don’t think I would try or even like the idea of the online dating process.

Although I may not try it, that does not mean I don’t believe it can work. Online networking has opened up an entire spectrum of new ways to express ideas and emotions. Some comments one may not feel right expressing can now be made anonymously on most social media’s (though it doesn’t make the comment right). The groups of individuals who may not speak up in social situation suddenly can become vocal in a place where they don’t fear talking. These people, called sometimes introverts, now have a place to thrive and communicate without the fear of their shyness. The same goes for any social network. Facebook has become a socializing titan that creates a place where someone you may never hear speaks in person but online they speak everything on their mind (sometimes non-stop). Online dating sites such as OkCupid has provided a way for introverts to find that someone in their lives just like them. The told success stories you hear online from their commercials are somewhat believable from the thought of these people, too shy to talk in person, feeling feel to break the ice online.      

Although online dating can seem like a godsend to some, it can be serious trouble for others. We have all heard stories and seen shows based on the lies some online profiles can hide. Today was a proving point for such a thing. We created online profiles simply to observe the site, but some have been known to create a profile and play as the person. Disgusting as it can seem, the lies are not always that big. However some lies can be small on profiles like age, yet others can be a bit bigger like the use of misleading angles and picture filters to give an illusion of a certain look. While overall lying on profile pages is an annoyance at best, serious online dating site users may become frustrated or even hopeless in the process.  

All this being said, as I said before I personally would not try online dating. However the system does work. In general I feel that social networking has brought people closer than ever and open up a way to meet people you might not have ever met if not for online networks. Online dating may not be the way I prefer to do things, but who am I to judge if the system works? Technology has become a prominent part in our lives and with that comes help in all aspects, even dating. In the end, if online dating works for some couples than the system is a success.   

Online Dating

Online dating is a relatively new phenomenon. It arose during the late 1990s, at the same time that the Internet itself was becoming increasingly popular. Despite being a relatively young industry, online dating has already become one of the most profitable types of business to be found on the Internet. Online dating services currently attract millions of users every day, and the industry as a whole is making hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Online dating is extremely poplar among American singles seeking connections. Despite limitations, which ultimately prevent dating online from ever completely replacing traditional methods of courtship, the initial process of finding and initiating contact with like-minded singles poses many advantages. Current trends and analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the practice, online dating is shown to be an increasingly legitimate and accepted element of American culture. An inability to predict chemistry is perhaps one of the most limiting aspects of online dating, the advantages to this is a way of finding, introducing, and developing a relationship are significant and numerous. The increasing popularity of online dating is evidence to the multiple advantages. There are many advantages of online dating: here are a few of the most popular. First and foremost, online dating requires very few resources: a computer, an Internet connection, and time are all that a user needs to position themselves among the available and be in touch with like-minded singles. It is therefore accessible to anyone (through the local library if financial means are limited). Relationships formed on the Web transcend distance through high-speed, low-cost interactive communication. Schedules and geography are not limitations of online relationships. While many find it prudent to limit searches to sane driving distances, many sites allow users to select regions from all over the world. As for time zones and schedule constraints, a major plus point is that participation does not require a normal 9 to-5 job. If you are interested in someone, you can observe his or her profile. Profiling is the gathering of personal information based on multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, and open-essay questions and the subsequent presentation of that information as a basis for establishing romantic compatibility between two people. However, the online dating experience can also have certain negative aspects, such as a lack of personal contact and the risk of being deceived. So before you choose to date by using traditional dating sites, social media, dating apps, or regular old-fashion offline dating, weigh the pros and cons of each. Think about what is best for you and your situation. Most importantly though, stay safe.

Online Dating Biases?

Online Dating

      In lab class, we discussed dating on the internet and various types of technology.  We explored a website called OKCupid.  I had heard of this website before from a friend who had taken this class last semester.  When she told me the website uses math to set people up together, I was intrigued and wanted to see what it was all about, but I never actually took it seriously, I was never one for online dating myself.  However, in lab class we were encouraged to create a fake profile and explore the website with a partner and upload a picture and explore and talk to people on the website.  We received a lot of positive responses right away from people and many people gave out a lot of information at once, such as their real names and where they live, which I was surprised about.

The positives about online dating could be: looking for potential long-term relationships, meeting new people, and exploring options.  However, people can become addicted to online dating simply because they get a thrill of sending and receiving messages with various people.  An article I read on Philly.com stated that people like online dating to see other eligible bachelors/bachelorettes online because “the grass is greener on the other side.”

       I looked up some information on online dating and found an article on the New York Times on online dating and mobile dating apps.  The two mobile dating apps the article focused on are Meld and Luxy, which are not exactly based on originality.  In fact they are similar to dating sites on the web.  Meld is a mobile dating app for Black professionals seeking meaningful long-term relationships and is modeled after the Black People Meet and Black Planet dating sites.  Meld is a unique form of online dating in that it requires users to connect to their LinkenIn and Facebook accounts.  The app uses your Facebook images and your professional title from LinkedIn.  It also has a “hot or not” card interface where people can look at potential matches, much like Tinder in that aspect.  Luxy, also similar to Tinder in the way you acquire matches, is a mobile dating app for wealthy individuals to find people whom they can share their high-end lifestyles with and is modeled after MillionaireMatch.com.  The purpose of these mobile dating apps is to give people with similar characteristics or interests to come together and meet, instead of having to “weed out” those who do not have those similarities.

      The issue with this type of online dating, according to the article I read, is that it could promote biases against certain people or groups.  This is not so much a good thing because some people might feel alienated who might want to try out one of these mobile dating apps.

Online Dating

So today we got into groups and made an OK Cupid profile. My partner and I decided to be a bisexual female, 25 years of age, who lived in State College, PA. Her name was heartstoper_taco and she was a CATCH. She was also a stripper who spent her Friday and Saturday nights entertaining the poor college kids at the local strip club. Most people could tell she was probably a fake profile but hopefully we convinced at least a few people that she was just a college drop out with very, very loose morals. Additionally, since ours was so obviously fake and had about 10 minutes spent on it, it was quite easy to identify other people from the class because most of theirs were quite obvious as well. We found no less than 3 other people from our class on there. If everyone had their sexuality set as bisexual then there is a high likelihood that we could have found them all.

I definitely felt we lost out on the experience though quite a lot when no one besides the OK Cupid employee messaged us. Especially considering we messaged quite a few people first which is like an instant boner for dudes considering how often they have to make the first move. Messaging is not only a big part on dating websites, it’s like the entire point of them- to be matched with or select someone you MAY have a connection with and then to explore that possible connection through interacting with each other. Dating websites may give you the kite but truly. you have to run with it to get it to fly. They are what you make of them which is why it was such a disappointment to not have anyone interact back with us.

But with all that being said, I wasn't surprised at all by any of it. I’m not surprised by the way it’s set up, the amount of people on there, or even what those people may (or may not) be looking for. Dating websites like OK Cupid at least actually aren't all that different from normal social networking sites like Facebook in terms of the personal information they want you to display. A lot of people seem to use it, just like a lot of people seem to use tinder or Facebook and similar mediums. The other thing is that they aren't always used strictly for their intended purpose, people have used Facebook as a way to date and tinder as a way to make friends.

That connects with the point of someone being more likely to use online dating if they use CMC for more tasks in general. The internet, and CMC, is what people make of it, sometimes regardless of what is meant to be made of it. After all, the internet was originally meant for the military and then universities and now look at it! I think the biggest advantage of online dating is the pick and choose aspect of it, you get to choose who you go out on a date with and have knowledge of them beforehand versus having your friend shove someone completely unknown at you and go “have fun!” as you search for something to talk about.  Related to that, the biggest disadvantage of online dating is that the websites are now throwing potentially hundreds upon hundreds of people at you and you have to sort through all the ones who aren't looking for the same thing or aren't interesting enough to say anything other than “hey wuts up?” and the management makes it not worth it. 

My Opinion on Online Dating

            After learning about online dating in class, it really never occurred to me how often it is used and how successful it is for the people that use it.  Maybe it is because I am at an age where I would not think about using a website like eHarmony or Match.com.  However, the more I think about it, relationships are formed everyday over social media, and that sometimes transfers into dating.  My main opinion on online dating is that it should be up to the individual whether they do it or not.  I do not consider myself a shy person, and in class we discussed outgoing people using online dating websites less because they do not need to communicate over the computer or phone to start a relationship.  That being said, I do not think I will ever use online dating websites, however, that is just I as an individual.  Many of people in this world rely on computer-mediated communication because it makes them more confident and allows them to open up more in a shorter amount of time.

            As far as online dating goes, as long as a couple does it correctly, I would never look down on it.  Studies showed that if a couple talks and opens up to each other before they meet face to face for the first time; their relationship is more likely to last.  Knowing and having this information, there is really no reason for an online dating relationship to not work out – unless if the partners in the relationship find out they are not compatible.  I personally have never started a dating relationship online, however, I have started friendships.  Actually, a lot of my friendships started just by a tweet or an Instagram follow.  A relationship grows very easily with the help of computer-mediated communication because there is no reason to hold back.  A Instagram follow turns into an Instagram like then before you know it you’re exchanging phone numbers, which ultimately translates into a relationship with the help of computer-mediated communication and face to face. 

            In summary, online dating has helped couples find their partner for a very long time now.  It will continue to serve as a popular way for people to meet their loved ones.  Online dating is not for everyone; one must have patience for the right person to come to them and since their limited to communication via computer – showing the match your true personality must be number one on the list.  Studies have shown that people do lie (stretch the truth) on online dating websites.  This is basically the only negative to testing out online dating.  Also, the fear of being catfished is very much a thing in today’s world.  However, online dating will always serve as a way for people to find their partner.  As I stated, people that have the confidence most likely do not use online dating website.  Obviously though, not everyone has the confidence that some people do have.  For that reason, online dating will always be a tool that people will use in order to find the love that they have been searching for.  There are many successful and strong relationships from online dating, and websites have the technology to make it happen. 

Cracking the Code of Love

Prior to delving into the phenomenon of online dating, I had preconceived notions formed from the failure that my mother and several family friends had experienced with online dating websites. I’ve heard stories of meeting “matches” for the first time and realizing that they were not who they said they were in regards to their age and appearance. Some stories were indeed very comical and others were a bit nerve-wracking.

On October 8th, when the topic of online dating was introduced in lecture, Professor Jackson first played an ABC News story called, "Online Dating by the Numbers." In this story, the online dating website OkCupid is highlighted for their dominance in the online dating world, boasting more than 7 million users. Its success is due in part to the Harvard math graduates who apply statistical algorithms to each user’s profile. Becoming one of the "largest and most thorough databases of human interaction", these mathematicians were also able to uncover trends in online dating. One trend that stuck out to me was that men who began their message with "Howdy!" had a 40% better chance to engage in conversation with another woman than men who began their message with "Hey!"

With an interest in the math behind the match, I came across another ABC News story called, “Online Dating Tips: Amy Webb Finds True Love Code.” This story highlights a young woman, Amy Webb, who claims that she was meeting all the wrong guys online. She was determined to crack the code of online dating in order to meet quality men. She accomplished this by collecting data through fake male profiles and taking her findings to create a “super” profile page, specifically marketing to the type of men she wanted to meet. A few months later, she then met the man who became her husband. Amy then turned her digital dating science project into a book titled, “Data, A Love Story.” Today, she helps other women create the perfect online profile (impression management).

Online Dating Tips - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57asNMY5GIU

In the video, Amy assists a young woman named Laurie who is having trouble with finding quality men online. According to Amy, it is important not to underestimate the power of a profile picture; they matter! This means no pictures with friends and no pictures with alcohol. Another important tip Amy provides Laurie is not to intimidate potential matches. A week later, Laurie reported that she received much more attention through her online dating profile, and had several dates planned.

In Amy Webb’s TED talk called, “How I Hacked Online Dating,” she goes into detail with her personal experience of cracking the code. In this documentary, you can see first hand how Amy uses data and algorithms to hit rock bottom by going to dinner with Steve the I.T. guy, and creating the perfect online profile to find her soul mate. I found her strategy and approach both comical and brilliant.

TED Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6wG_sAdP0U

With these trends and tips in mind, I created a fake profile on OkCupid today in Lab. I entered the username smileygirl56, and posted a fake profile picture with cleavage showing. The questionnaire was quickly completed and within minutes, messages were piling in the inbox! [Shout out to the pair in lab who began their message with "Howdy!"] While browsing around the website, there was a tab labeled "Y'all Got Issues," which displayed certain questions that myself and another user matched or did not match. I found this tab to be helpful because it showed what your shared interests were before even messaging someone.

In closing, Amy Webb states that there is an algorithm for love, but not what is presented online; it is in fact what we write ourselves.  

Online Dating

Jordan Dickerson

283 Blog

10-23-14

 

 

                                In the early years, couples would meet Face to face and a person normally knew up front whether or not he or she liked the other individual they were dating. I would think back then dating was more mutual and genuine as far as the connection you received from face to face relationships rather than staring into a blank screen for hours.

                However, in 1998 internet dating became more relevant and convenient to people. It was easier to stay in contact with one another and the time and place didn’t matter. All you had to do was login to a computer leave a text and wait for someone to reply, and there you had it instant conversations are created.

 People also found that online dating took away from pressure and anxiety. The fact that you could have a conversation with someone and not have to worry about exposing your identity or physically be there gained peoples approach to online dating. Eventually you would want to get to the point were you and the person your talking to could meet in person to actually see if you liked him/her.

That point of initial contact can be a deal breaker. people who use online dating normally build up higher levels of expectation for the person they're talking to online. most of the time people end up disappointed when they  meet the person face to face because of what they assumed they looked like or there personality isn't what they expected it to be. Most people who date online are open and free minded. online dating is very risk taking, because there is no real way of knowing who's on the other side of the screen.

#Hashtivism#

1.     Can we collectively create a definition of hashtivism? What is hashtivism? What isn’t?

Hashtivism, better, #hashtag #activism, is the promotion of social, political, economic, and environmental ideas through typing a limited amount of characters, or a catch-phrase or word and placing it on our social media.

2.     How is it similar/different to acts of hacktivism (if you don’t know what this is, google it)?

I think it differs substantially in the sense that it can be used for anything. Hacktivism, according to google, is “Hacktivism (a portmanteau of hack and activism) is the use of computers and computer networks to promote political ends, chiefly free speech, human rights, and information ethics.”  Hashtivism belongs to anyone who has access to social media and they can propogate any idea they choose.

3.     Who can and does engage in hashtivism?

Anyone that has social media can participate in hashtivism, nonetheless, businesses and individuals within the community who want to promote a particular message or most likely more apt to engage in hashtivism. Also, other media forums are engaging with twitter and facebook, including most television news anchors and producers to get information. There is truly no escaping it because its everywhere!

4.     Can hashtivism create social change?

Yes, but most likely no. It can generate awareness about ideas and they can be the first step to get people interested, nonetheless to see actual policy changes, it takes more that hashtivism. People in positions of power have to know that it will affect votes and that is what will prompt them to provide change as demonstrated in the Koney 2012 video.

5.     Is hashtivism better suited for some social change more than others?

I think it’s too early to tell. We are being exposed to so much on a daily basis with social media it proves hard to determine whether or not a particular issue is going to tug at an individuals heart strings. Its all very subjective and there is no equation to determine what someone is tuned into or not

Online Dating and Weather

Brittney Mitchell

CAS 283, Section 004

October 21^st, 2014

 

Online Dating

 

                Talking about online dating theses last couple of weeks really caught my interest. It was interesting to see how many people took to online dating first rather than face-to-face interactions. At the same time, I see how it would be easier for individuals to express their “true” selves. Especially, since you can neglect the other person’s non-verbal cues. I feel that online dating has almost became the easy way out. Yes, majority of us do live busy lives and constantly on the go; however, something like love we should make time for.

                “Online Dating in the Time of the Polar Vortex” is an article published by the Huffington Post brought up some unique and interesting arguments. I would have never thought that weather and love could relate to one another. The first one that the post brought up was rain. For me rain would be equivalent to a nice, cozy date inside or those days where you just want to sit round and do nothing. However, their research showed that “rain does not encourage people to look for love,” since “individuals have a hard time mustering the courage to put themselves out there online when their mood is already low. Which makes sense, because as soon as it starts raining it is like your mood just drops instantly. So I can see how your desire for looking for love on a rainy day can be at an all-time low.

                The effect snow and winter has on relationships is pretty obvious. I believe that most people see snow as the ideal circumstance for creating a perfect romantic scene. Who wouldn’t want to sit in front of a warm fire when there’s a blizzard going on outside and it’s 20 degrees out. A lot of my friends see winter as “cuffing season,” which is the necessity/want for a boyfriend or girlfriend becomes the forefront of most conversations and actions. When it comes to online dating people are more likely to go online and search for that perfect someone.  According to the article, “In New York City, 56 percent more messages were sent and 38 percent more profiles were viewed during recent snow storms.” For me it doesn’t seem odd that the percentages are relatively high.

                The last type of weather the article spoke about definitely surprised me. I would have never thought that fog could play a role in our romantic lives, let alone online dating. Their study showed that the chance of people signing – up for online dating increased. For example, “there was a 45 percent increase in online dating signups when clouds filled the skies in Phoenix.” It makes sense that because right before its snows for example, it’s generally foggy out. Like I said previously, snowing leads to people wanting a relationship or just a significant other.

                After reading this article, I learned that just because poor weather affect how long it takes us to get to work or our outdoor activities, doesn’t mean that your love life will be negativity affected. In all reality you have a better chance of finding your significant other or possible dates, especially when you look to online dating.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jess-carbino/online-dating-in-the-time-of-the-polar-vortex_b_4676398.html