Love bytes : does the internet get people to click or is it simply a web of deceit?

Abstract

Throughout the last decade the internet has revolutionised the way people communicate and has steadily become a new medium for meeting people. Computer mediated communication (CMC), such as email, blogs, forums, as well as chatting programmes has provided new means by which individuals meet and interact and in some cases also develop meaningful relationships. This study, through review of literature and fieldwork explores this relatively new phenomenon more specifically it explores how the use of the internet is helping develop such meaningful relationships. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with five individuals that met their current partners through the internet. The interviews provided first-hand experience accounts on the development process of online relationships. Furthermore, through the literature review this study explores grounded theory on the nature of such relationships and how the use of CMC is effecting interpersonal communication. The study argues that online relationships are not different from offline relationships in depth and potential meaningfulness. However, although audio-visual means of communication are providing a more similar to real life experiences, CMC does not eliminate or substitute the importance of face-to-face meetings in order to determine the potentiality of the relationship.