New Delhi: Lockdown seems to have taught Indians seeking romantic relationships online a lesson or two in honesty. No more negative behaviour or fighting shy of putting all the cards on the table.
According to a nationwide survey conducted by the online dating platform Bumble India this June, up to 74 per cent of respondents said they have seen a decline in negative behaviour known in online dating parlance as ghosting, breadcrumbing, catfishing. The results were published on July 19.
“The time spent in lockdowns has allowed people to focus on what they are truly looking for while dating, giving them a renewed sense of clarity and confidence in taking control of their dating lives as they meet new people,” the survey says.
“Through recent research, Bumble has found that people are now dating more intentionally than before the pandemic — they’re being more honest about what they’re looking for in a relationship, whether it’s something casual or serious.”
A key finding is that vaccination is a deal-breaker even in potential romantic partnerships — 38 per cent of respondents said they “prefer not to” go on dates with people who haven’t taken a Covid vaccine yet.
Another interesting finding is that 39 per cent of the people surveyed revealed their ideal choice for a first date this year remained via a video call.
The survey also noted other positive effects of the pandemic on dating — 54 per cent of respondents said the line of communication on dating (intentions and expectations) have become clearer amid the pandemic while 48 per cent said there has been increased attention to a prospect’s personality rather than their looks.
One in three people said they feel less pressured while dating amid the pandemic.
“The pandemic has brought about meaningful changes in our dating choices and
behaviours as single Indians navigate this new world of dating. This last year, that people
spent in lockdowns, has given them the opportunity to focus on what they are truly looking for while dating,” said Samarpita Samaddar, Communications Director, Bumble India in a press statement.
Also read: Porn films not the first Raj Kundra controversy. His life can inspire ‘how not to make money’
Greater acceptance of online dating
The survey also found that 45 per cent Indians believe that online dating is a norm and the most usual way of going on dates.
Respondents — 72 per cent — were also confident that one could fall in love with a person they meet via online dating apps.
Amid the pandemic, ‘virtual dates’ have become more and more commonplace — as much as 48 per cent of Indians prefer virtual first dates as that is a safer way of “meeting someone”, the findings revealed.
The sample size of the survey was 2,000 single Indians across the country.
(Edited by Paramita Ghosh)
Also read: How Bumble, dating app Priyanka Chopra invested in, made its CEO a self-made woman billionaire