The vast majority of young people between 13 and 18 find it easier to date online, especially if they still don’t know the «other» personally, when more than half say they have already used the large network to contact someone with whom they sympathized, although they show shy in the real world.
In Portugal 46 percent of young people say that it is much easier to date a person in a virtual universe than in real life.
These are some of the data gathered in yet another survey carried out in the Habbo virtual community, this time on online relationships – and about Valentine’s Day, which is approaching.
Although the Web is a starting point for teenagers to start socializing, roughly 43 percent said they liked to date someone in the real world, after meeting that person on the Internet. «This fact proves that teenagers build social groups that are a mix of friends they know off and online,» said those responsible for the study in a statement sent to the press.
In Portugal 53 percent of users say they would like to date the person they met on the social network.
The physical aspect is the basis of decision for the first cybercontact, with 39 percent of respondents claiming to have contacted third parties, after having seen and liked their photos.
Although young people turn to the Internet to meet new people, 78 percent say they are aware of security issues.
These figures were lowest in Norway (51%), compared to the highest figure in Brazil (87%).
In Portugal 74 percent of teenagers say they know the dangers that a relationship with a stranger entails.
With the participation of 125,000 teenagers, the Habbo survey also reveals that about 40 percent of young people have already cheated online, with 30 percent admitting to having had more than one «cyber-crime».
At the same time, half of the respondents believe that the dating rules apply to both the virtual world and the real world.
