During these unprecedented times, people who are willing to date, want to experience intimacy and those in long term relationships, are going to have to do all this during the COVID-19 era.
Single folks are changing the way they date during this pandemic. As stay home orders are implemented due to COVID-19, the vast majority of people have to work and go to school from their residence. This is a new normal that society is slowly adjusting to.
All these restrictions limits the populace’s freedom, but does not limit the desire for this particular community from finding romance on the information highway.
Business is booming for the online dating industry. There has been a substantial increase in subscriptions. According to data from OkCupid, “daters sent more than 35 million intro messages in March, which is about 4 million more than in the same time frame last year. More than 90% of its users say they’re dating virtually. There’s also been a 5% increase in folks looking for long-term relationships and a 20% decrease in those looking for hookups”. OkCupid is a company that is oozing with success.
One of the pioneers in this line of business is Match.com. This company conducted a study and discovered that “while only 6 percent of singles were using a video platform to meet a potential date before the COVID-19 outbreak, 69 percent of singles said they’d be open to chatting over a video with someone they met on a dating app during the quarantine . . . Twenty-two percent of these respondents even said they’d consider entering an exclusive relationship with someone they hadn’t met in person.”
It is clearly evident that romance seekers will adjust for that chance to meet a potential soulmate even during this world crisis.
These love-seekers use an array of ways in how they can communicate with each other in cyberspace. The platforms include various chat websites like Zoom, Skype and Google Meets. Smartphone applications employ video chats like FaceTime, Allo and DUO. Even Facebook has a dating feature. Dating apps like eHarmony, Match, and Bumble all have their type of video chat embedded in their programs.
These romantics get creative in the way they communicate with each other in cyberspace. The variety of activities these singles employ ranges from engaging in video chatting, going on virtual museum tours, watching movies, television shows, concerts and syncing to online games.
The Washington Post and the New York Times offer a partner mode function, which allows users to do a crossword puzzle together online.
Humans are sexual beings, who have needs. One way to cope with this necessity is through sex toys, where business is thriving. People are stuck at home. Some are isolated and others want to spice up their love life with their significant other.
Hopefully, in a few years, the world will have a solution to drastically reduce the spread COVID-19. Until then, the populace will have to date via video chat and use sensual adult lifestyle products.
