The Challenges of Online Dating and Digital Relationships during COVID-19
Pragya Lodha · Global Bioethics Enquiry Journal · 2022
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every aspect of human lives across the globe.Digital technology plays a critical role in our renewed essence to relationships -romantic and otherwise because of accessibility, anonymity and less emotional burden due to perceived control on relationships in the digital space.Online dating platforms have changed the way we build and sustain relationships.Online dating received an upsurge following the COVID-19 pandemic as people squared in quarantined spaces.While online dating can be one way to maintain social connection, finding potential partners, and / or romantic or sexual interaction to cope with the stress imposed by the pandemic, several consequences of online dating need to understand and promote sexual and mental health.This paper explores challenges and consequences of online dating and its public health significance.Online dating has evolved digital relationships as potential coping mechanisms to deal with a sense of insecurities and threat on safety and belongingness.It has changed the dynamics of relationship, emotional expression, trust and fidelity.It has created negative consequences