Internet dating has become so popular in recent years that I suspect there may even be more people meeting potential partners online than in person. While many happy couples have formed from online introductions, there are also plenty of unhappy singles who have had less than pleasant online dating experiences. Though there is no way to say for sure exactly which of these camps you might fall into, being familiar with both the advantages and disadvantages of online dating will at least help you to develop an idea about what you are getting yourself into. To determine whether or not Internet dating is right for you, check out the lsit of pros and cons below.

PROS:

• Convenience - There is something undeniably convenient about being able to scroll through an extensive, online catalog of eligible singles and possibly meet your match all from the comfort of your own home.
  
  
• Options - When you look for love online, your dating options increase exponentially. With scores of new members added every day to countless dating websites, there is no shortage of possible partners to choose from.
  
  
• Diversity - No matter what flavor of love you seek, there is literally something for everyone in the online dating world. Hoping to meet someone of a particular ethnicity? How about someone who shares your religious views or unique interests? A quick Internet search for dating opportunities within the niche you seek will surely yield plenty of results to choose from.
  
  
• Insight - Online profiles can often give you valuable clues about a person’s looks, interests and personality, which you can then use to determine whether or not you might be interested in getting to know that person better.
  
  
• Pace - Internet dating allows you to take your time getting to know new romantic interests. Chatting for a little while through emails and instant messages will allow you to gradually begin the process of getting to know someone new with far less pressure and fewer awkward moments than would likely be the case in traditional dating.
  

CONS:

• Misrepresentation - Not everything in the online dating world is always as it seems. Although there are many singles that use online dating services in the right way and for the right reasons, there are also those who choose to misrepresent themselves or take advantage of other members by playing silly games. If somebody seems a little too good to be true, trust your intuition and consider moving on to the next romantic hopeful.
  
  
• Fizzle - There is always the possibility that you might totally hit it off with somebody online but later find out that there is absolutely no chemistry between you in person. No matter how attractive somebody might look in pictures, there are elements of chemistry that have very little, if anything, to do with physical appearances and that simply cannot be accurately gauged through a computer screen.
  
  
• Trouble - It is much easier for somebody to hide unusual ticks, flaring tempers or other unflattering characteristics behind the cloak of anonymity than it would be to do so in person. No matter how close you feel you may have gotten to a new romantic interest online, the truth is that you won’t ever really know what he/she is genuinely like until you spend some time with him/her in the real world.
  
  
• Revelations - Online interactions sometimes give a false sense of security that often lowers inhibitions and might even tempt you to reveal too much too soon to a new partner. Even if you think that you and a certain somebody might never actually meet in person, always practice common sense by holding back any information that you would not normally give to a new partner at that stage of the dating game in traditional dating.
  
  
• Cost - Most online dating sites charge a membership fee or service fees. While there are some free sites or paid sites that offer limited free services, your chances of meeting somebody worthwhile do increase on sites with paid memberships because the reality is that people are far less likely to play games with other members if they are required to pay up in order to do so. Luckily, most sites have reasonable membership fees that rarely exceed the cost of a traditional date or two.