Here's a simple fact and it doesn't just apply to Massachusetts residents. This is true for millions upon millions of people all across the globe. Our daily lives have become busier than ever. For some, almost impossibly so.

For single people looking to find and connect with that special someone, there's often not enough time to take part in the dating scene. Especially when you have to work 2 (sometimes 3!) jobs to deal with the high cost of living.

That is one of the main reasons for the ever-growing popularity of online dating. Imagine. Meeting new people from the comfort of home! From the convenience of your couch or bed!

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
loading...

Online Dating has been around for quite a while, but surged in popularity during the pandemic when people were forced to endure "social distancing". Once the pandemic ended, however, many kept up the practice of online dating.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
loading...

For many people, it was simply more convenient. That wasn't the only reason, though. Online dating is also more accessible, especially for those who, for whatever reason, lack confidence in themselves.

It is also a more efficient and quicker way of meeting several new people in a shorter time frame. For painfully shy people, this gives them more options to find someone they're comfortable with before that first "in-person" date.

Photo by Katy Anne on Unsplash
Photo by Katy Anne on Unsplash
loading...

Of course, you can't have the pros of online dating without also having the cons. Probably the biggest con of online dating is that because it's a digital environment, people can be whoever they want to be.

That means that your chances of meeting scammers, hackers, liars, and other potentially dangerous people increase tenfold. Recently, Privacy Journal published a study concerning digital safety for online dating.

WBEC AM logo
Get our free mobile app

The Privacy Journal team gathered numbers from several reliable sources (the FBI, CDC, Census Bureau, etc.) on 6 major factors of online dating including reports of romance scams, reports of identity theft, registered sex offenders, and more.

Guess what? Massachusetts did not perform very well in the study. Especially when you realize that FOUR of our New England neighbors are considered much safer than the Bay State when it comes to online dating.

WHAT ARE THE 5 SAFEST STATES FOR ONLINE DATING?

  1. Vermont
  2. Maine
  3. New Hampshire
  4. Kentucky
  5. Idaho (FYI, Rhode Island ranked at #6.)

Massachusetts ranked down the list at #17. Not Good. And just so we can cover all of New England, Connecticut ranked #24. I know right now you're asking yourself, "What state is considered the MOST dangerous for online dating?"

WHAT ARE THE 5 WORST STATES FOR ONLINE DATING?

  1. Nevada
  2. Alaska
  3. Georgia
  4. Florida
  5. Arizona

It's a fascinating study. For more details, stats, and info (for instance, did you know that Mississippi is the highest-ranked state for sexually transmitted diseases?), visit Privacy Journal's website here.

LOOK: 35 Vintage Cereals That Perfectly Captured Pop Culture Moments

Movies and TV shows have always found ways to partner with cereal companies as part of their promotion strategy. While some may have come up with a giveaway in boxes, others went big by having their own cereal connected to the movie or TV show title. Here are vintage cereals that were used to promote some of pop culture's biggest moments (and some you probably forgot about).

Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll

LOOK: See the Most Famous Musician Born the Same Year As You

Stacker identified musicians born in every year from 1920 to 2003 and determined the most famous born the same year as you.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

LOOK: 20 of the biggest insects in the world

Stacker compiled a list of 20 of the biggest insects in the world using a variety of news, scientific, and other sources.

Gallery Credit: Andrea Vale

LOOK: This is where homes are selling the fastest right now

Stacker compiled a list of the metros where houses are selling the fastest, according to data from Redfin.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

More From WBEC AM