Research Article
Online Dating and Contemporary Social Relations: Opportunities, Risks, and the Transformation of Intimacy in the Digital Age
Aaron Ayeta Mulyanyuma*
,
Justus Twesigye,
Muwereza Nathan,
Agaba Halidu Diana Munyao Mutuku
Issue:
Volume 6, Issue 3, September 2026
Pages:
62-73
Received:
25 May 2026
Accepted:
4 June 2026
Published:
14 November 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.ijps.20260603.11
Downloads:
Views:
Abstract: This article investigates online dating as an agent of change in modern social relations, addressing its potential, its pitfalls, and what it portends for the evolution of intimacy in the digital era. The paper discusses the ways in which digital technologies have transformed romantic engagement through the formation of new practices such as algorithmic matchmaking, evolving social networks, and easier access to partners that run across geographic and cultural borders. Based on classic theories in sociology and communication, the article explains how online dating affects the construction of identity as well as the pursuit of relationships in networked societies. It also points to major challenges, such as deception, cyber harassment, commodification of intimacy, mental well-being, and algorithmic bias exacerbating existing social inequalities. The research also argues that online dating is situated within wider frameworks of globalization, surveillance capitalism, and gendered power relations. It argues that, On the one hand digital dating platforms enable a broader range of relational possibilities, on the other hand they also give rise to new forms of vulnerabilities and inequalities, which call for a stronger ethical regulation, a better protection of users, and the overall enhancement of digital literacy.
Abstract: This article investigates online dating as an agent of change in modern social relations, addressing its potential, its pitfalls, and what it portends for the evolution of intimacy in the digital era. The paper discusses the ways in which digital technologies have transformed romantic engagement through the formation of new practices such as algori...
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