Online Dating Is Losing Its Stigma Among Single Americans

A study released by the Pew Research Center this morning shows that Americans are slowly starting to see online dating in a more positive light.

The report, which is based on a telephone survey of 2,252 adults age 18 or older, found that 38% of those who say they are "single and looking" have used dating sites or mobile apps to meet potential partners.

According to the report, 11% of all Americans have used online dating services or mobile apps to meet potential partners, an increase from only 3% of those surveyed for a similar study in 2005.

That may not seem like very much. Still, 42% of American Internet users say they know someone who has used online dating, with Match.com continuing to be the most commonly used dating site. Twenty-nine percent of those surveyed know someone who is married or in a long-term relationship with someone they met online, compared to only 15% in 2005.

There are some downsides to online dating, though. Fifty-four percent of online daters say they felt someone else had seriously misrepresented themselves on their online profile. Twenty-eight percent of online daters, including a shocking 42% of female users, say they had been contacted in a way that made them feel harassed or uncomfortable.

Even so, the study's results show that the view of the online dating scene as a haven for loners is no longer that common.

The number of people who view online daters as desperate has decreased from 29% in 2005 to 21% now, and 59% agree that online dating is "a good way to meet people," even if they haven't done it themselves.