Financial crisis sees net dating rise

A number of online dating sites have been experiencing a huge increase in traffic as the global financial crisis continues to deepen, it was revealed on Monday (December 8th).

With recession arriving in many countries and impending in others, purse strings are being tightened around the world and the sense of gloom has been permeating into people's lives.

However, Gian Gonzaga, senior research scientist at eHarmony, has explained that a growing proportion of singles are looking for solace by finding love on the net.

He said: "On days when the US Dow Jones industrial (average) went down by a lot, by more than 100 points, more people were likely to log in and spend more time on the site.

"People seek out companionship in times of stress. Studies repeatedly show that being in a relationship can help a person's psychological and physical health."

Indeed, one such study conducted by Opinion Research and sponsored by the dating service revealed that 57 per cent of Americans are worrying more about their love lives during the credit crunch.

Furthermore, married men were found to be fretting more than women (63 per cent), while 75 per cent of respondents between the ages of 25 and 34 claimed they were concerned about the economy having a negative impact on their quest for love.

Mr Gonzaga's views were corroborated by Thomas Enraght-Moony, the chief executive officer of Match.com, an online dating service which has sites in around 40 countries.

He revealed that the downturn has led to the company experiencing its largest membership increase in seven years during November.

"During these trying times, people are looking for hope in their inbox," he said.

Even smaller online dating providers have noted a marked rise in the use of their services, with PerfectMatch.com reporting a 47 per cent quarterly membership hike in the three months to November.

In addition, another study conducted by Avalanche LLC - which runs Date.com, Matchmaker.com and Amor.com - has found that 84 per cent of users are spending more time online or on the phone before meeting their potential match.

And with no end to the current turmoil in immediate sight, it seems likely that people will continue to turn to online dating sites in order to provide a much-needed boost in the search for happiness.