Social Networking Could Enhance Your Love Life

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Before you bash your friends who go online to flirt with their crushes or those who send love notes to their significant other via social networking, a new study from Euro RSCG Wordwide is showing that online communication can actually help your relationship.

“We used to meet in bars, and restaurants, we now meet on Facebook and Twitter,” Havas Worldwide and Euro RSCG Worldwide global CEO David Jones said in the press release.  “Social media hasn’t replaced but has enhanced real world relationships making them faster, more transparent and more authentic.”

The survey asked 1000 people in the U.S. about their romantic interactions online. Surprisingly, though most people said that matchmaking sites like OkCupid and Match.com can help, they found that basic social networking sites like Facebook are the easiest places to make a connection, especially with the younger people surveyed. Ladies, if you’re confused why that guy seems much nicer online and shy in real life it’s because 39 percent of men say they flirt online compared to only 23 percent of women admitting to the digital deed. One third of Americans believe that online only relationships can work out and about the same amount believe that online relationships are less pressure. However, more women require face-to-face time, instead of just social media interactions, for a couple to stay together.

The downside: About half of the respondents believe that the Internet has made it easier to cheat, with one third saying they know at least one person whose relationship ended because of something their acquaintance or that person’s significant other did online. The majority of the responders agree that having a sexual relationship even if it’s just online still counts as cheating.

We’re not going so far to say that Facebook stalking is just like speed dating or tweeting @ someone with a coy message is equal to approaching a random person at the bar, but it’s nice to know especially on Valentine’s Day that there’s more people finding happiness thanks to technology. For those of you who are celebrating Singles Awareness Day, don’t fret: You’re next boyfriend or girlfriend can be just a click away.

More on TIME.com:

Can You Be “In Love” With Your Gadgets? Study Says Yes

Valentine’s Day Gifts for Geeks, the Video Edition

Best Geeky Valentine’s Day Gifts