Beyond the mirage
The most typical thing about markets, both legal and illegal, is that they tend to spread to areas where there is excessive demand—invading even the most private of human activities and spaces. To love and be loved are among the most basic human urges. They have been there since the time immemorial, flourishing organically in society. The notion of love, however, like most other aspects of life, couldn’t keep itself isolated from the sweeping waves of urbanisation and digitisation. The urban metropolises are typically a mosaic of people belonging to different socio-economic strata, often hailing from different parts of the country. One thing that runs common among them is the urge for love. It is hardly a mystery that in the sea of people in metropolitan cities, sail the ships of loneliness and aloofness—exacerbating the demand for ‘love’ manifold. This is where the concept of online dating chipped in—tapping the huge demand for ‘love’.
Modern romance, as a capitalistic conception, has created a sprawling market where the commodity is nothing else but love. As per a Statista report, the number of users in the online dating market is expected to amount to 29.2 million by 2029. Another report indicated that the global online dating market size was valued at USD 9.65 billion in 2022 and is projected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4 per cent from 2023 to 2030. Sensing opportunity, a lot of third-party players have reportedly stepped in to make money by exploiting the basic human need for love. Reports suggest that many café and restaurant owners engage individuals to lure opposite gender on dating apps, dragging them to their café/restaurants, and tricking them to pay highly inflated bills. There are a host of other strategies by which individuals and businesses are cheating potential victims—whose number is not insignificant by any account.
Earlier this year, a finding by Norton had revealed that a staggering 66 per cent of Indian adults have fallen victim to online dating scams, with an average loss of Rs 7,966 per victim. Furthermore, The McAfee ‘Modern Love’ study highlighted the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in complicating the online dating landscape. With powerful AI tools, romance scammers craft convincing messages and realistic profile images to deceive those looking for love. The study found that 77 per cent of Indians encountered fake profiles or photos on dating apps, and 39 per cent of online conversations with potential love interests turned out to be with scammers. Additionally, 26 per cent of Indians discovered they were talking to AI-generated bots, not real people.
It would be a serious misconception to view these scams as merely a source of financial loss. It is argued that such nasty experiences in one of the most intimate domains of human life are likely to lead to a sense of disenchantment and distrust for the victim—snatching away their hopes of finding true love. While those who are vocal enough register their complaint, many shy away from bringing things in public domain and simply digest the wrongdoing. Beyond individual cases, the administration should go for an all-out action against habitual culprits—including individuals and businesses like cafes and restaurants. Online dating users, on their part, must show a sense of awareness by adhering to numerous guidelines that are usually floated in public. It must be remembered that love and companionship are priceless entities (not commodities), and demand patience, not rush!
