New global poll suggests wide enthusiasm for online dating

As Valentine’s Day approaches, a new BBC World Service global poll suggests that almost one in three (30%) web users regard the internet as a good place to find a boyfriend or girlfriend.

The poll, conducted by GlobeScan among 10,976 internet users across 19 countries, suggests India and Pakistan are among the countries with the greatest numbers of enthusiasts for internet introductions.

Fifty-nine per cent of Indians and 60% of Pakistanis who use the internet regard it, according to the poll, as a good place to find a partner.

Other countries where high proportions of internet users feel the same way include Ghana (47%) and the Philippines (42%).

In contrast, fewer Americans (21%), South Koreans (16%), British (28%), and French (27%) think the idea of finding a partner online a good one.

The poll also suggests that, among internet users, men are somewhat more enthusiastic about finding a partner online than women – 33% of men regard the internet as a good place to find a boyfriend or girlfriend, compared to 27% of women.

Respondents aged 18 to 24 are the most enthusiastic (36%) but even among those aged over 65, more than one in five (23%) regard the internet as a good place to find a partner.

However, the results also suggest that those with a higher level of education are less likely to regard the internet as a good place to find a partner – 28% of those with a university education felt it was, compared to 36% of those who had not completed high school.

The results are drawn from a larger survey of public attitudes towards the internet, to be released on 8 March 2010.

The survey interviewed 10,976 adult citizens who had used the internet in the previous six months across 19 countries, and was conducted for BBC World Service by the international polling firm GlobeScan.

GlobeScan coordinated fieldwork between 30 November 2009 and 26 January 2010.

GlobeScan Research Director Sam Mountford commented: "This shows what a major role the internet now plays in the lives of millions of people around the world.

“For many, and particularly in the developing world, it’s not just somewhere to work, shop, or communicate with friends, but a credible way of finding a partner in life.”

This finding is part of a wider survey for SuperPower – bbc.com/superpower – a major BBC season of programmes starting on 8 March 2010 exploring the extraordinary power of the internet.

SuperPower will be examining the impact of the internet on all aspects of life including business, politics, democracy and empowerment, as well as relations between people in all parts of the world.

BBC World Service’s daily programme, Outlook, is turning its attention to ’Netrimony’ and the role of the internet as matchmaker.

The team are on the hunt for global stories of love found online, and for first-hand experiences of those who have joined a growing international community of people turning to the web to find their perfect partner.

If you have an interesting story to tell, or experience to share, then please email the team at outlook@bbc.co.uk.
Notes to Editors

Face-to-face and telephone interviews were conducted between 30 November 2009 and 26 January 2010 with a total of 10,976 citizens in 19 countries: Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

Polling was conducted for BBC Global News by GlobeScan and its research partners in each country. For more details, please visit www.GlobeScan.com as well as the GlobeScan Insights blog at http://globescaninsights.blogspot.com.