Finding Love Online–and Staying There

Is the Internet making us anti-social? Or does it expand our social networks and enable more communication? Well, here’s fuel for the fire…

According to a recent poll, 24% of Americans said the Internet could serve as a replacement for a significant other, with the numbers rising to 31% among singles — with no difference among males and females. The findings from Zogby International and 463 Communications also suggest that some younger people surveyed viewed the Internet as their new best friend.

This reminds us of statistics cited in a Wall Street Journal article, which said that nearly 40% of men and 53% of women who play online games said their virtual friends were equal to or better than their real-life friends. Also, more than a quarter of gamers said the emotional highlight of the past week occurred in a computer world. While these numbers seem niche, casual gaming online is soaring in popularity, perhaps contributing to the 1 in 4 number above.

Will we become a nation of hyperconnected loners? Well, the Zogby poll also found that only 11% of people would implant a chip that connects them to the internet in their brain. So as long as people go outside, we’ll be forced to interact. Though there is always delivery, telecommuting, and the Sinulator…

Zogby International Poll