RESTRUCTURING INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION VIA ONLINE DATING WEBSITES

Online dating websites have reshaped the dating world. People who would normally not come into contact with each other can now meet digitally. This, in turn, has redefined how we understand what dating is. This book describes many of the communication dynamics that have been altered in this process. Some of these dynamics are directly linked to the communicative act while some are more contextual. One of the key findings from this analysis is that online dating websites offer a new genre for dating and, in turn, alter the fundamental concept of dating. As a result, the notion of dating has been expanded from a social set of protocols whereby people met, courted and potentially married to a framework that allows for people to simply meet digitally, engage in dialog, consider meeting in person and progressing down varied paths that might involve marriage but not necessarily have that as an end-result. This redefinition is commensurate with how the new communication technologies are not only enhancing the communication process but also fundamentally changing the communication process. This, over time, has the potential to impact what it means to be human.