Whether you're after guys with bushy beards...
...a partner who has a passion for classical music...
...or you want to find love for you and your pooch...
...there's a dating app to meet your needs
In 1995 match.com became the first major online dating site
Today, there are hundreds of sites and apps
It's gone from taboo - to the thing to do
But what impact is this having on society?
Whitney Wolfe could lay claim to being the 21st century's most prolific cupid
As co-founder of dating app Tinder and CEO of Bumble...
...her digital-dating devices have generated 20bn matches
Some people might say app dating has completely revolutionised their life
They've now found the love of their life and they would have never in 100 years...
...ever run into that person
Today, around 295 million people use online dating services all around the world
The Netherlands tops the list, with 12.5% of the population dating online
South Korea follows closely behind with 12.4%
In China, one app alone, Momo, has 180 million registered users
You have to think about what dating was before
It was limited to your social network, to the people you knew
And the funny thing about the way we act as people...
...we don't always branch out
We don't always expand our networks
But online dating has enabled people to meet potential partners from further afield
I really do think it expands horizons...
...and gives you access to being with people that...
...you traditionally would have never had the chance to really grow close to
One study by researchers at MIT suggests that online dating in America...
...has led to more interracial marriages
The technology has also made it much easier...
...for people in minority groups to meet each other
70% of gay couples in America now meet online
Dating apps are also popular with single, middle-aged people looking for love
Some argue the apps are breaking down barriers and changing social norms
Whitney Wolfe launched Bumble, because she wanted an app...
...where women make the first move
Traditionally speaking in real life women wouldn't have made the first move...
...they generally don't make the first move...
...because society says that's not the right way to do it
Society judges them for that...
...and often blames and shames them for behaving in a confident fashion
Despite the benefits of online dating, there are concerns too
Meeting total strangers is risky
Fake profiles are common and sexual predators can exploit the sites
In Britain, the increase in online dating has gone hand-in-hand...
...with a rise in dating-related crime, although the numbers are small
Despite the growing popularity of online dating...
...the majority of straight couples in America still meet through friends
But according to the projections of some online dating companies...
...30% of all relationships will start online by 2026
Online dating is big, and it's set to get bigger
Maybe online love will conquer all?