New research suggests online daters marry less frequently and break up more often than traditional daters. One upside to digital dating: More dates. Online dating is common and popular today, but does it really lead to the Happily Ever Afters promised by companies such as eHarmony and Match.com? Unfortunately for romantics scouring the Internet in search of spouses, it frequently does not, according to researchers at Michigan State University. A study of 4,002 people located throughout the country found that couples that meet online are less likely to get married and more likely to break up than couples that meet through traditional means. Although online dating sites are an excellent place to meet people, fewer than half of all online daters seek marital relationships, according to Aditi Paul, who conducted the study. The majority of digital daters are looking for casual dating and companionship, she says. Paradoxically, one of the reasons online sites are such a good place to get a date also makes them less effective when looking for someone to marry. There are so many people to choose from “individuals find it difficult to be locked into one particular dating partner when they know that hundreds of other potential dating partners are available,” says Paul. “Online daters know that they can easily look for other potential partners from the dating sites if the current relationship does not work out.” An element of distrust is also built into many online relationships because people worry that online daters don’t tell the truth about themselves, which is a poor foundation for a marriage, Paul says. Couples that meet online are more likely to break up, but it appears that once people are married the most important factor in staying together is the quality of the relationship. For romantic unmarried couples, it is important to spend time in developing the relationship to avoid breaking up, says Paul. The good news for people seeking relationships on the Web is that there really is a good chance to get a date online. One in 10 Americans report using an online dating site or mobile application to find their partner, and as many as 66 percent of these online daters have gone on actual dates with the people they meet online. Those are likely better odds than finding a date at your neighborhood bar. Related content brandpost Sponsored by SAP When natural disasters strike Japan, Ōita University’s EDiSON is ready to act With the technology and assistance of SAP and Zynas Corporation, Ōita University built an emergency-response collaboration tool named EDiSON that helps the Japanese island of Kyushu detect and mitigate natural disasters. By Michael Kure, SAP Contributor Dec 07, 2023 5 mins Digital Transformation brandpost Sponsored by BMC BMC on BMC: How the company enables IT observability with BMC Helix and AIOps The goals: transform an ocean of data and ultimately provide a stellar user experience and maximum value. By Jeff Miller Dec 07, 2023 3 mins IT Leadership brandpost Sponsored by BMC The data deluge: The need for IT Operations observability and strategies for achieving it BMC Helix brings thousands of data points together to create a holistic view of the health of a service. By Jeff Miller Dec 07, 2023 4 mins IT Leadership how-to How to create an effective business continuity plan A business continuity plan outlines procedures and instructions an organization must follow in the face of disaster, whether fire, flood, or cyberattack. Here’s how to create a plan that gives your business the best chance of surviving such an By Mary K. Pratt, Ed Tittel, Kim Lindros Dec 07, 2023 11 mins Small and Medium Business IT Skills Backup and Recovery Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe