In a world that is constantly online, finding love or somebody to go on a date with has also followed suit. Perhaps a partner is out there and all you have to do is push a button, “swipe” right or find the right app to meet them in. But are there any drawbacks? Students Alvina, Jayden and Madison from Pui Ching Middle School argue that while there are advantages, there are reasons to exercise caution, with the students expressing their opinions in the following essays submitted to The Young Post.
To what extent do the advantages of online dating outweigh the disadvantages?
Alvina Cheong Chi Hun (S4B)
In this era, the rapid development of technology has led to the increasing popularity of online dating. While this trend allows people to interact more conveniently and enhances opportunities to meet someone outside your social circle, the drawbacks, particularly in terms of scams and lack of genuine communication, often outweigh the benefits.
First and foremost, the advantages of online dating include providing people with an immediate method to express their feelings and opportunities to meet others. If people do not have time for a traditional date, they can interact with each other using this method. Additionally, individuals are more likely to make new friends online, especially if they are too introverted to engage in real-life conversations. In other words, introverts can still find like-minded people to start a romantic relationship.
Yet, the disadvantages of this trend should not be neglected. One major concern is that meeting strangers online can be dangerous, as individuals may not know who is actually behind the screen. It is apparent that people can easily fall victim to scams and eventually face safety issues and financial loss. Another evident issue is that romantic relationships require genuine communication and actions; merely texting online cannot meet peoples’ expectations. It is essential for couples to hug, hold hands, and so forth. If a relationship depends solely on online dating, it will undeniably not last long.
In conclusion, the disadvantages of online dating outweigh the advantages because they can lead to severe safety concerns and short-lasting relationships.
Online Dating: Love or Loss?
Jayden Leong Cheng Lok (S4A)
The increasing trend of online dating has not only brought true love and friendship to people, but also the swindling of money from silly users. This essay will argue that although online dating can bring true love and relationships, the disadvantages, including being scammed and the risk of losing money, outweigh the advantages.
Firstly, the major advantage of online dating is that it makes it easier to find partners and lovers. Online dating apps help people find partners that possess similar characteristics and personalities, which provide alternative ways for people to find a lover besides in reality. Furthermore, online dating also provides easy access to meet more people. By clicking onto an app, you can get in touch with fascinating new friends online.
However, there are a lot of fake accounts and scammers to fool users. While scrolling through the apps, many people may end up with scammers who advertise themselves as beautiful girls or handsome boys. Often, innocent users are sucked in by them and give away money. Last year in Macau, a 64-year-old woman gave away 3 million patacas to an unknown “Indian prince” who she met online. Additionally, online dating makes many young people lose faith in true love. People who get scammed on the internet are often disappointed and believe that the whole world is scamming them. A recent survey concluded that 18 percent of teenagers will not get married because of their online experiences.
In conclusion, although online dating provides individuals with the opportunity to find partners and friends, I strongly believe that its disadvantages, such as being scammed and the risk of losing money, clearly outweigh the advantages.
Navigating the risks of online dating
Madison Lau Hao Ieng (S4A)
Recently, online dating has become prevalent due to the development of social media and technology. While this allows more people with compatible personalities to meet, I believe it is a risky method that we should all be aware of.
To begin with, social media and chatting apps are very convenient methods of communicating with people with the same interests as yours. Even if two people live in different countries or even continents, they can easily spend time and talk with each other via apps such as Discord, Instagram and Twitter. This allows those who are unable to find love in real life to have a chance with more people who might just find their personality attractive. You can also search for specific communities online, making it even easier to find a group of people who relate to your hobbies. These online dating platforms can be a place where you feel at home with your own group of friends or find love.
Online dating is extremely risky. First of all, you don’t know if the person is truly who they say they are. Scammers can change their profiles, edit photos, or even change their voice using AI to fool you. In lighter cases, there are people who simply pretend to be good looking or rich to find love easier. However, in serious cases, scammers can trick you into sending them large amounts of money for things such as “emergencies” or “special gifts”. These scammers tend to act like they are in love with you, be affectionate towards you, talk to you for months or even years, just to get you attached and delete their account when your bank account is empty. There are cases where people have been scammed out of thousands and millions of US dollars by online partners, who aren’t even who they think they are. Moreover, criminals can put your life in danger through online dating. After being partners for a long period of time, the criminal will request a meet-up. Trusting their long-term love partner, victims agree to see them in real life. While not all meet-ups result in death or danger, it is possible to hear of cases of victims being kidnapped, sexually harassed, injured, or even murdered by the criminals. They learn about their victims through their relationship, gathering information before planning to harm them according to their strengths and weaknesses.
All in all, while it is simple and fast for people to find love online by searching for related groups, it also puts victims at risk of being catfished, scammed or harmed by unethical criminals on the internet. Online dating is convenient, but people should definitely aim for a real-life relationship if possible as it is a safer method.
