A study released by Monash University and eharmony has forecasted a rapid rise in ebabies – children born to parents who met online - given the rising popularity of online relationships.
Within the next decade, 34 per cent of newborns will be considered ebabies, while more Australians are expected to meet online than by any other ‘traditional’ means by 2040.
The team of researchers were able to forecast future relationship trends with the Markov model, which measures probabilities and can be used to recognise patterns in a bid to make predictions, such as those in the findings.
“Online dating often gets a bad rap for encouraging casual dating and swipe culture. But our report with Monash University demonstrates that there are countless people who look to technology to find life-long partners and start families, eharmony’s relationship expert, Sharon Draper, said.
“Online dating is ever more prevalent, particularly since the challenges we’ve seen recently via the COVID-19 virus, and its restraints upon normal socialising. This new research clearly indicates that more and more Aussie families will originate from dating platforms, and that can only be a good thing.”
The data also showed that couples who met online in more recent years (2014-2020) on average have 2.3 per cent more babies than those who met face-to-face (1.38 v 1.35). This suggests a key group of singles use technology to seek family-inclined commitments.
In recognition of the benefits of online dating, almost half of Aussies believe it makes it easier to find someone compatible, and a similar number think it allows for ‘better matching’.
Two-thirds of respondents agreed that online dating has become more normalised – meaning the stigma has long since gone – and an inspired one in two Aussies (51 per cent) said the internet makes it easier for introverts to find love.
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