Online dating industry trounces porn sector

Millions of single people from all corners of the world now routinely use online dating services to meet partners as web-based match-making becomes an everyday phenomenon.

Increased internet access is making this possible for many and suggestions that online dating is now in the mainstream of modern lifestyles have been cemented by revelations that it is even bigger than the pornography industry.

According to an intriguing infographic from Online Schools, which has published details about the sector, "more people than ever are utilising dating services and more are finding success".

China is home to the largest pool of people using online dating websites, followed by the US and India, with 140 million users, 40 million punters and 15 million individuals respectively.

Many of the singles in the US are signed up to eHarmony, which has 20 million users and Match.com, whose membership is on the 15 million mark, with more spread across the niche sites available on the internet.

However, singles looking to benefit from the services of eHarmony, which controversially claims responsibility for two per cent of US marriages, should prepare for a 400-question survey.

With an average user age of 48 years, the US online dating scene is almost divided equally between men and women, who make up 52.4 per cent and 47.6 per cent respectively.

Singles may want to ensure their profiles are as appealing as possible in order to increase their chances of being spotted by a potential mate as users spend only 22 minutes and 27 seconds per site on average.

When interacting with an American male, single women may particularly want to pay attention to what they say about their age, height and income as they apparently lie most about these issues.

American women on the other hand fudge information about weight, claiming they weigh less than they actually do, lie about their physical build and say they are 21 when in actual sense they are 37.

One in three women who meet men online end up having sex on the first date, but rather worryingly, four out of five do not use protection, increasing the risk of sexually transmitted infections.

Those looking to settle down and start a family may want to concentrate their search for a soul mate on the internet as Online Schools claims the average courtship period for those who meet online is just 18.5 months.

By comparison people who meet through more traditional methods take 42 months, more than twice as long.

There are some concerning statistics too; one in ten sex offenders uses online dating sites to meet new people, while one of ten members are scammers, underscoring the need for extra care when online dating.

While some websites charge a premium for providing the service, others offer free meeting platforms for singles, although both have their distinct advantages.