More convenient, faster, less costly and more efficient: Generation Z finds many qualities in virtual dating. So much so, that first dates on Zoom or FaceTime are increasingly replacing in-person meet-ups.
According to an American study, two-thirds of Gen Zers now prefer to get to know each other via a video call rather than real-world meeting for a first date.
Virtual dating was thought to be a thing of the past with the end of the Covid-19 pandemic. But Gen Zers are turning to this online option as inflation bites.
According to a study by dating app Wingman,* reported by Business Insider, 65% of singles aged 18-27 surveyed said they prefer a video call to a traditional in-person meet-up for a first date.
For Generation Z, virtual first dates are an effective way of quickly testing out the chemistry with a potential partner. But, more surprisingly, it’s also an opportunity to save money. With the rising cost of living – including transport, food and drink – going out has become expensive, especially for young people who might be meeting up with several people to test the waters.
Tina Wilson, the founder of Wingman, told Business Insider that this craze for virtual first dates “showed the most notable shift since the height of the pandemic”. Whether on Zoom, FaceTime or WhatsApp, there’s no shortage of ways to meet someone virtually without having to travel to any kind of venue.
Some singles even go so far as to organise remote dinner dates, each ordering takeaway food, to replicate a “real” date. “Users in that younger age group just absolutely don’t bat an eye at it, and they’re like, it’s efficient, it’s great,” says Wilson.
People might think that virtual dating can’t entirely replace in-person encounters – how do you know if there’s chemistry between two people when they’re not even in the same room? But these video dates don’t seem to prevent young people from finding out if there’s a spark.
Indeed, Gen Zers know exactly what they’re looking for in love. These virtual first dates could therefore be a perfect way of making sure they’re not wasting any time. “The first whiff of a red flag, they’re gone,” says Wilson.
This new trend is in line with other dating strategies being pursued by the younger generation. With zero dates (an informal meet-up before an official first date) or stack dating (lining up lots of short dates on the same day), for example, Generation Z is on a mission to make dating less formal and less complicated, all without wasting time on the wrong person. – AFP Relaxnews
*This Wingman study involved 500 dating app users aged 18 to 27.