The 21st century has given us some new metrics to measure prospective partners in online dating. For instance, social websites and services. Once you realize that each of these services has its own unique culture, it becomes immediately apparent that different niches would attract different people over time. To wit:
- Yahoo! Groups – Very old school. Expect someone either senior-citizen age, or tragically out of touch with the modern web.
- Digg or Reddit – The hive of drones. This is a mixed bag, as these are the two most-frequented social sites, but expect someone age 18-25, very well-informed about the web, very insulated against the rest of the world.
- Facebook – Again, everybody and their dog (literally) is on Facebook now, so expect people of all ages and persuasions. But also count on somebody with “nothing to hide”, who is very connected to their family and/or co-workers.
- Twitter – Chatterbox! At least you know they’re a great communicator who’s always available. Look out for egos.
- MySpace – Look for teenagers and younger. Anybody on MySpace over the age of 21 might have serious developmental issues, unless they’re entertainers (singers, artists, etc.) keeping touch with their fans.
- 4chan – Either you’re dealing with lowlifes, or the rare intellectual who finds the brainless silliness amusing. Don’t bet on the latter.
- Adult FriendFinder – Sexually liberated. However, also look out for people cruising for quick casual sex.
