Internet dating is a way of searching for an intimate partner with the support of specialized websites or mobile applications. It can be defined as a new partnership and/or a marital market that is, due to several social changes, increasingly used as a place for seeking potential partners for romantic relationships, sexual relationships, friendships, or other intimate relationships. The growing popularity of online dating suggests that it must be highlighted when discussing the impacts of the Internet on the everyday life of individuals.

This entry focuses on the characteristics of Internet dating as an online search platform for [Page 480]romantic partners and building romantic partnerships on the basis of Internet dating. It contains a short overview of the development of Internet dating services, social characteristics that ...