There is nothing wrong with finding a little lovin’ online. That is, if someone feels more comfortable setting up dates through their computer rather than spending countless nights trying to get picked up at a bar, let them live!

We all know those people who naturally seem so alluring and infectious that they can practically charm whomever they choose. These people can fearlessly walk up and start a conversation with the opposite sex without hesitation. However, for those of us who are more introverted or a little on the shy side, such activities might seem unthinkable. Well, what can we do? Die alone?

Of course not! That is where online dating comes in. For some people, this is the best wing-man. According to a study conducted by Pewresearch.org, 59% of people say that online dating is a great way to meet new people this day in age. The study also shows that adults between the ages of 25-34 most prominently date online.

Should teens be jumping into the online dating party? Would your mother approve? No. Teenagers should not at all be concerned with finding that special someone. For the older, mature crowd, however, online dating is the perfect tool to spice up their love lives, responsibly of course.

Turning to online dating does not necessarily equate to desperateness, either. Many find that dating is difficult for numerous reasons. They may be paranoid of being catfished, scared that hot guy does not look like his profile picture, or are simply not comfortable talking to strangers. Whatever the case may be, online dating can come in handy for these people

There are even specialized dating sites for those who want a more specific search for a match such as Black People Meet, Christian Mingle, and of course Farmers Only because, you know, city folks just don’t get it.

Only 5% of Americans say they actually met their spouse online, but that is beside the point. Online dating is a way to get your foot in the door.  It allows people to get comfortable with going on dates and interacting more with a variety of people. Online dating can even help people figure out their type, build a better idea of what they would want  in a partner,and give them experience to base their decisions off of.

There are plenty of fish in the sea, but how can you explore all your options if you limit yourself to the small pond that you live in. If all Sally has only ever dated Brad and Tom, how could she possible know that she could get on well with Sam?

With technology in this day and age, people are tempted to oversimplify everything, including dating. Candle-lit dinners and picnics are not enough anymore. Why go out and socialize when finding a date can be easy enough to do from your couch? In just two taps, you can find yourself a seemingly similar person; but is that really the best way to go about it?

Meeting people online can come with many complications; one of course, being liars. Creating an entire opinion about someone based off a profile that they created can be misleading. How can one be so sure if all they have to go off is a “describe yourself in less than 150 characters” statement? There is an entire show dedicated to instances like this: MTV’s “Catfish”. The show is based on two men who are called in to handle couples who have been dating online, but never met.

This has grown as a problem and attracted so much attention, Dr. Phillip Calvin McGraw created a page on warning signs of a catfish. According to Dr. Phil, “With more than 40 million men and women online looking for love, there are bound to be some scam artists out there.”

Being catfished can even be dangerous. Talking to someone online for a long period of time, sharing personal information can put people at risk for things like stalking, fraud and even identity theft. Suddenly, dating is not fun anymore but it is finding way to protect yourself. This can also be also emotionally damaging. Many of the people who find out their significant others are not who they say they are, end up heartbroken. The pain of being lied to by a trusted and loved person could ruin dating completely.

Romance is being killed by online dating. No more first dates where you exchange those valuable facts about yourself. No more excitement of having a real conversation with someone for the first time. People date with the intent of finding someone that they enjoy spending time with and can rely on in hard times.

Dating is personal and should not be just shooting emails back and forth. Meeting people and getting to know them is a crucial part of making a healthy, good relationship. Sites like eHarmony and Match.com match people up according a profile that they create, taking away the experience of meeting someone on your own. Slogans like eHarmony’s, “#1 trusted dating site for like-minded singles” attracts people to take the easy route.

Even though we have the resources to make everything quick and easy, dating is not one of those things. Choosing a life partner shouldn’t be easy enough to do from your toilet seat.