Americans are divided on online dating’s safety, but a majority support requiring background checks for online dating profiles

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January 25, 2023

From Looking for Love to Swiping the Field: Online Dating in the U.S.

Americans are divided on online dating’s safety, but a majority support requiring background checks for online dating profiles

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Americans are divided on online dating’s safety, but a majority support requiring background checks for online dating profiles

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From Looking for Love to Swiping the Field: Online Dating in the U.S.
Nearly half of online dating users – and about eight-in-ten users under 30 – report ever using Tinder, making it the most widely used dating platform in the U.S.
Roughly a quarter of LGB adults, those under 30 have used a dating site or app in the past year, eclipsing their peers
About a quarter of partnered LGB adults say they met their match online dating
53% of those who have used a dating site or app at some point say their experiences have been positive
About a third of online dating users have paid to use a dating site or app, and this is more common among those with higher incomes
A majority of women younger than 50 who have used dating sites or apps have received unwanted sexually explicit messages or images on these platforms
Women, men using dating platforms in past year feel differently about the number of messages they get – women more likely to be overwhelmed; men, insecure
Similar shares of men versus women who have online dated recently say a major reason is to find a partner, dates, friends; differences emerge for casual sex
Americans lean toward thinking dating sites and apps make finding a partner easier versus harder, but some say the number of choices they present isn’t idea

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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.

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