If you think of online dating as being just for young people, think again. According to a report by Smart Money, baby boomers account for at least 20 percent of all online daters. And, that number is growing. From February 2010 to February 2011, the number of online daters over the age of 50 jumped by 8%, while the overall jump in online dating was just 4%.

This significant level of acceptance by the over age 50 community is just another sign of how mainstream online dating has become. I met my husband online 11 years ago, when it was still considered a “little creepy”. I was hesitant to tell people how we met for quite a while. Today, however, meeting your new love interest online is “old hat”. The fact that an older generation of daters finds it to be mainstream gives the niche even more credibility.

The higher divorce rate among older people has also contributed to the increase in online dating by this demographic. Divorce rates, on the whole, have decreased in the last 20 years, but they have nearly doubled in the “over 50″ age range. This increase in divorce rates combined with an increase in internet usage in this age range makes online dating the perfect combination.

There are a fairly large number of dating sites catering to this particular demographic, too, including Senior Friend Finder and Senior People Meet. So, if you’re over fifty and looking for love, the internet is waiting. And, you can be sure that you’ll have plenty of company.

News & Views Baby Boomers, SeniorFriendFinder.com, Seniors

18-year-old Lauren Astley’s body was found in the edge of a marsh over the July 4 holiday weekend. She had been strangled and had a wound to the neck. Her ex-boyfriend of three years has been arrested and charged with her murder. Prosecutors call the case one of teen dating violence.

Our condolences are with Lauren Astley’s family, who had no knowledge that anyone had been bothering their daughter. They did, however, know that she had recently broken up with Nate Fujita, who has been charged in her death. Fujita has said he did see Astley just before her death, but that they only talked.

It’s important to remember that dating violence can be especially prevalent among teens. As parents, we must be vigilant in watching for signs of dating violence, especially during the time of breakups or squabbles.

According to the group “Choose Respect”, the following statistics are true about teen dating violence:

• One in five high school girls have been physically or sexually abused by a dating partner.
• Nearly 80% of girls who have been victims of physical abuse in a dating relationship continue to date their abuser.
• One in three teens report knowing a friend or peer who has been physically hurt by his or her partner through violent actions which included hitting, punching, kicking, slapping, and/or choking.

You can read more about Lauren Astley’s death at The Boston Channel.

News & Views Abuse, Violence

Google Plus is launching and anytime a new social media site hits the market it begs the question “Will it be a good site for dating?”

You probably realize by now that to join Google Plus, you have to receive an invitation. So far, about 88% of Google Plus members are men. So, theoretically, Google Plus is a great dating site to check out if you happen to be a woman, and you happen to get an invitation.

If Google Plus succeeds, the gender balance will have to correct itself over time. The main question that remains regarding Google Plus as a dating site is one of privacy. Google Plus touts itself as the more private alternative to Facebook, which may mean that it doesn’t envision itself as being a dating alternative. Facebook’s main advantage as a “dating site” is that you can so easily see the profiles of the people your friends already know. When you see someone who looks promising, you can connect with them based on your mutual acquaintance. If Google works really hard to ensure privacy, making those connections might not be possible.

So, I guess we’ll have to give Google Plus a little longer in the marketplace before we can really assess its possibilities as a dating site. Now, if I could just get an invitation…

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News & Views Google, Social Networking