Swiping for Love: How Online Dating is Reshaping Romance

Online dating has transformed into one of the main means of forming romantic 

relationships. According to a 2023 report by Stacy Jo Dixon published on Statista, global online dating app users have constantly increased, reaching 381 million users worldwide in 2023. As contemporary dating is moving into a media space, the conventional ideas of romance are forced to adapt to new rules. However, can romance be transacted through a phone screen? 

The revenues of leading dating apps such as Tinder and Bumble have been steadily climbing, reaching $3.12 billion in 2022, reports Developer Bazaar. People are more willing to spend money to increase their chances of finding “the one” while sacrificing the conventional dating norms and expectations that come with meeting your soulmate in a bookstore or bumping into them in a local market. 

Sociologist Dr Marie Bergström, in an interview with The Guardian, highlighted the allure of online dating as a more convenient, proactive approach to finding a partner. According to Bergström, people no longer believe in romantic and unexpected encounters, usually depicted in Hollywood movies. ”There is a third narrative about love – this idea that there’s someone out there for you, someone made for you, a soulmate. And you just need to find that person,” said Bergström. That idea is compatible with online dating since it provides a convenient way to meet people without leaving the comfort of your sofa. 

For some, dating apps provide a fast track to finding love and romance. Madelon, who never expected to find love via online dating, met her boyfriend on Tinder last spring. Although she strongly believes that romance still exists in the online dating environment, she acknowledges the stigma that comes with meeting people online. “My boyfriend told his parents that we met in a club,” Madelon told The Glass Room. For her, finding romance and love was spontaneous and effortless. “We didn’t really speak online. I met him the same day as we matched on Tinder. From there we started meeting,” she said. 

However, the online dating experience has not been pleasant for all. Sophie has been on dating apps for two years with no luck so far. She admits that online dating is superficial and that she would rather meet someone in real life. “After a few weeks, he asked me to be his girlfriend. But it was supposed to be a secret because he was already in an arranged marriage,” told Sophie, “After that, I decided that online dating is not for me.” 

Sophie believes that online dating has diluted romance, transforming it into something transactional. With so many conversations reduced to sexual innuendos or casual encounters, Sophie has lost faith in the idea that love can be found online. “There have been times when I really think romance is dead,” she admitted, reflecting on the state of modern online dating.