Is Single Virtually Lonely?

by Rajul

I was just minding my own business today, checking my Facebook page and BOOM! There it was. This banner for an internet dating site.

“Don’t be lonely for another 5 minutes!” It said, “Sign up now and meet great singles like yourself.”

Umm, yes I get that these social networking sites are using your relationship status and running with it, advertising-wise, but isn’t lonely a bit harsh?

They’re doing the same thing on gMail, apparently - actually detecting clues about you from your emails and using ads that relate. It’s clever, albeit a little creepy.

The thing is, a lot of the single people I know are so busy or distracted that they can’t focus on a pursuing a new relationship at the moment. Still surrounded by family, friends and possibly an overwhelming career, yes. But lonely, they definitely are not. I can’t help but wonder, if Facebook sees our single status equating to loneliness, does the rest of the world see it the same way?