While these days it’s probably more common for singles to meet possible partners online than in real life, that may not necessarily bode well for long-term commitments.
A new report by The Marriage Foundation reveals that there’s a better chance of online couples divorcing than those who met partners in more traditional ways like through family and friends. In fact, couples who meet online are actually six times more likely to get a divorce within three years of marriage. While 12% of those who met online divorced before their third anniversary, that was only true for 2% of those who met through more traditional means.
As for why, the foundation suggests that it could be because online couples may still be “relative strangers” when they get hitched. The Foundation’s research director Harry Benson notes, “Gathering reliable information about the long-term character of the person you are dating or marrying is quite obviously more difficult for couples who meet online without input from mutual friends or family or other community.”
This news may not be so great for a lot of people, considering a third of people currently meet their spouses through apps and websites, with predictions suggesting that number could rise to 50% by 2035.