E-dating

Dating gone digital

The internet, COVID-19 have changed the nature of love

Benjamin Grantonic grantben000@hsestudents.org

Thirty five percent of teenagers have some type of romantic experience, according to Pew Research. Those numbers rise to 44% among teenagers 15-17, though as the situation of the world changes, the way teenagers date and have these romantic experiences changes along with it. With the advent of the internet and the COVID-19 pandemic, the nature of dating for teens has changed. To this effect, 8% of teens met a romantic partner online though many still meet in traditional ways. “We actually met on a cruise at the end of 2019 and became really good friends,” senior Emily Comstock said. “He lives in California, which is really far, so we didn’t initially start dating right away because of the distance, but in the end we decided it was worth it.” In a study from 2015, before the pandemic and the shift towards more digital communication due to it, 92% of teens used text messages to some degree to communicate with their partners, 70% used social media and 55% used video chats. The growth of the use of these communication mediums has only furthered since then. “During the pandemic it felt like a really long time that we couldn’t see each other for like two or three months because my family is kinda high risk and we didn’t want to risk anything,” junior Hope Kellermeier said. “We used FaceTime and texted a lot, though that was still really hard because everyone was in my house and everyone was in his house, it was very cramped and we couldn’t go on a date like we used to.” Even as the pandemic winds down, the prevalence of video calls and other virtual dates remain. According to Tinder, 40% of Generation Z users will continue their use of video calls for dates even after businesses have begun to reopen and physical dates could resume. “(The pandemic) made it more special when we got to see each other and go on a date,” Kellermeier said. “It was challenging, but we had been dating for 2 years before that so it wasn’t extremely challenging.” Though online dating comes with a unique set of problems, 46% of adults think dating online is dangerous and 60% of women 18-34 who responded to the poll said people they met online kept trying to contact them even after they said they were not interested. Though for some, it works out. “We both have busy schedules, but we carve out time for each other,” Comstock said. “We Facetime or call everyday. Long distance definitely has its challenges, but it makes the time you spend with that person more special.”

44% of teenagers 15-17 have romantic experience 8% of teenagers met a romantic partner online 92% of teenagers use text messages and 70% use social media to communicate with their partner

55% of teenagers use video chats to talk with their partner

Infographic by Benjamin Grantonic. Information from Pew Research Center.