The internet allows people to connect through the distance. It also allows anyone to meet anyone, regardless of who they are.
In the fast-paced digital world, the human civilization is a crowded sphere of humanity and information.
While more and more humans occupy Earth, more and more people are becoming too busy with themselves and their routines, that less and less people are becoming couples.
As a matter of fact, the 80% of young single respondents (aged 21-35) indicated that they intend to marry, this is a decline if compared to 2016 (83%) and 2012 (86%).
Also less people are getting their match through traditional ways, like through mutual friend or location like school or workspace.
Instead, more people are meeting online.
According to a survey by the National Population and Talent Division, the number of people who meet online through dating sites or apps have grown from from 7% in 2012, 13% in 2016, to 29% in 2021.
These findings were from a Marriage and Parenthood survey of Singapore, conducted in February to June 2021, which covered 2,848 singles (never been married), and 3,017 married respondents who are aged between 21 and 45.
Among the respondents who were single, 50% were not currently dating and of these, 38% had never dated before.
According to the press release, the top reasons why the respondents were singles, include a limited social circle (58%), not having many opportunities to meet potential partners (57%) and a preference to leave dating to chance (48%).
Other reasons include wanting to concentrate on job or studies, and finding it difficult to form long-term romantic relationships.
Because of these reasons, and also because of the advancement of tech, more people are becoming comfortable with meeting new people through the internet.
The number increased from 19% in 2012 to 43% in 2016, to 58% in 2020.
According to the principal research fellow and head of social lab at the Institute of Policy Studies Mathew Mathews, one of the appointed research consultants for the survey, finding a potential partner on online dating sites and apps has become normalized.
"This gives more choice to singles who may have difficulties due to the nature of their work to be in contact with eligible partners," he added.
However, he acknowledged that technology-mediated dating may not be the best of solution for everyone.
It also has limited, he stressed.
"Singles who aspire to a couple relationship continue to benefit from embedding themselves in social activities and friendship networks where there is the possibility to meet and be introduced to potential partners," he explained.
While more and more people meet their match online, the top three ways singles are most comfortable with in getting to know potential partners, include through social and recreational activities (90%), friends (88%), or through colleagues (82%).
As for their future in, among those surveyed, 77% of those said they wanted to have children, and 92% wanted to have two or more children.
However, in practice, most married respondents (51%) had fewer than two children. Among the top reasons cited by those not wanting to have more children were financial cost (64%) and raising children in Singapore being too stressful (49%).