We asked people in Wolverhampton Centre about there experience of online dating, here is what they had to say.....
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00:00Yeah, we're here. Wayne, you said, obviously you got a door to it as well. You originally started on online dating on Yahoo?
00:08It wasn't a dating site, it was a chat room.
00:11It was a chat room, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah. So I mean, once you take an online dating, obviously it turns out successful for you, wasn't it?
00:15It wasn't intended to be a dating thing, it was just a general chat.
00:21And yeah, so we got to private message each other and that's where it all started really.
00:28Fantastic.
00:29She was from Bridgewater, Somerset. I was 18. I was 18 and I met her on her 16th birthday.
00:40That's when we first actually went down, met. And it just went from there.
00:47When she was about 19, she decided to move to Wolverhampton and got married, started to have kids.
00:56Five kids down the line. Five kids down the line, that's it.
01:00So not quite a dating site, but the same premise, isn't it?
01:05It wasn't for intention.
01:07But yeah, once we got chatting, got to know each other a bit better, sent each other pictures.
01:12And it was all bypassed, the pictures and stuff like that, because the facilities wasn't there then.
01:18Do all the scanning and stuff like that. So yeah, I think it was Windows 95 or something, kind of what I was using at the time.
01:28And the computer was, if I remember right, it's called the Biglen.
01:31Biglen. I'm not sure if I'm actually about anymore, so...
01:35Yeah, tell me what's a general take on dating apps now?
01:38You know, you get stuff like Tinder and that sort of thing.
01:40What's a general take on dating apps?
01:42A bit worrying, but...
01:48A bit worrying for the kids?
01:50A bit worrying for the kids, I think.
01:51Yeah, you hear a lot of bad stories on it.
01:55Yeah, yeah.
01:56But I'm not sure whether it is just bad stories and it kind of puts you off.
02:02You know, you read a lot in the news about bad things, what happens.
02:06But, like we were saying, you don't hear about the success stories as often, so...
02:11Yeah, exactly, yeah.
02:12So let me put this into the...
02:14Because what, like, a lot of...
02:16What we've got is we've got figures that are showing that, like, middle-aged people, boomers.
02:20Like, the baby boom.
02:21The baby boom generation.
02:22Yes.
02:23They're most likely to get scammed by online dating as well.
02:26Yes.
02:27I mean, like, constant worry, isn't it?
02:29I couldn't imagine it's anything that you've got to worry about with your own children.
02:32But, I mean, like, what do you say?
02:33You reckon that's something people should be scared about online scamming?
02:36Because it could be quite common.
02:37I mean, there was a whole documentary series about it.
02:39Was that on Netflix?
02:40I think it was.
02:41I think for generations above me, yes.
02:42Yeah.
02:43Because I don't think them as used to technology as what we were growing up.
02:47Yeah.
02:48And I think, yeah, it can easily be scammed.
02:50And I don't think them as aware, if you like, about it than we are.
02:55Yeah, yeah.
02:56Are you worried about your own kids going on dating sites if you ever do?
03:00I'll always worry about my kids.
03:02No matter what.
03:03Even if I met somebody on the outside, it's just the father's instinct.
03:07I think you're always going to worry.
03:09More of my daughters than my lads, if I'm being honest.
03:11Yeah.
03:12I suppose that's just nature though, isn't it?
03:13Yes.
03:14Yes.
03:15If my daughter said that she met somebody online, I would screw to the eyes.
03:20Yeah.
03:21And go into it.
03:22I wonder if your wife's parents felt the same way.
03:25I met this guy on Yahoo.
03:26Believe it or not, they were very laid back.
03:29Was they?
03:30Yes.
03:31I mean, her dad was a farmer, so he was at the house 18 hours a day.
03:36So, never saw him that much.
03:38We got on with him really well.
03:41It was nervous to meet her at the first time.
03:43We met at the train station in Bridgewater.
03:45So, yeah, it was nervous at the time, but it worked out well for us.
03:50Oh, fantastic.
03:51Well, there we go.
03:52I mean, not quite a dating app, not quite a dating website.
03:54But still an online dating success.
03:56It was a chat forum and it turned into, yeah, something good, didn't it, Greg?
04:01Yeah.
04:02Yeah, yeah.
04:03So, we're here with John.
04:05John, you said, obviously, you're married, aren't you?
04:07Yeah.
04:08But you said, so, I mean, like, what are the worries about online dating?
04:11Because, obviously, with the babe-booming generation being one of the most susceptible,
04:15I mean, you know, it's always a scary thing.
04:17Do you reckon people have to be a bit cautious online?
04:20I wouldn't be cautious.
04:21I just wouldn't be interested in doing it that way.
04:23Yeah, yeah.
04:24I prefer to go to a dance or meet them in the pub or whatever.
04:27So, you've got a harder chance of being scammed if you actually meet people face-to-face, haven't you?
04:30It's that, yeah.
04:31Yeah, yeah.
04:32How long have you been married for?
04:33Quite a while.
04:3445 years.
04:3545 years.
04:36Ah, brilliant.
04:37You didn't meet your wife online dating, did you?
04:38No, no.
04:39I suppose it wasn't a thing back then, was it?
04:40No.
04:41Now, where'd you meet?
04:42Or was it down the pub?
04:43Was it down the pub?
04:44At the dances?
04:45Anything like that?
04:46It was in a pub, actually.
04:47Yeah, yeah.
04:48I mean, like, do you think it's a better way to meet people than just face-to-face instead
04:51of doing it on you?
04:52Oh, without any shadow of doubt.
04:54Yeah, yeah.
04:55You get to know the person a bit better first meeting, you know, you've got no chance
05:00of being scammed online.
05:01No.
05:02That sort of thing.
05:03I mean, like, what are you like online at the moment?
05:04Are you quite cautious?
05:05The world's worst.
05:06Yeah.
05:07I'm not very good with technology.
05:08Yeah, yeah.
05:09Do you reckon that's sort of like not being very good with technology?
05:12I don't use it.
05:13I've got a jump phone.
05:14I haven't got a smartphone.
05:15In fact, the only person I know hasn't got a smartphone.
05:16Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:17Yeah.
05:18But this does make it.
05:19If they want to get any touch of your candy coming in.
05:20Yeah.
05:21So it makes the older generation a bit more susceptible than it to being scammed, if they're
05:25not quite handy with tech.
05:27Well, we're a lot less, actually, because we don't get caught up in these things.
05:31Oh, you think you're less likely to see.
05:33The youngsters have got real problems.
05:35You've got all these weirdos trying to get any touchy and all that.
05:37Oh, that's a, yeah, yeah.
05:39It's not very good for them, is it?
05:41The cold callers and that, yeah.
05:42Well, people say they can't stop it, but I think they could, actually.
05:45Yeah, yeah.
05:46Because some could go for it.
05:47The youngsters, I'm talking about youngsters, under 18.
05:50It's not really good.
05:52You're new to try to get any touchy, are you?
05:54Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:55No, I don't like it at all.
05:57I mean, like, you know, you said you had a friend, Uber, who's honest on the dating apps.
06:00What's your opinion on dating apps?
06:02Obviously, Grindr, Tinder, the whole lot.
06:03I think they're a little bit awkward, too.
06:05A little bit awkward?
06:06I know that it's like, it's harder to go out and date than I think now.
06:10But, like, getting on a dating app and sort of talk to someone that you don't know.
06:15And you don't know if they're real or not.
06:17Yeah.
06:18Do you reckon it's a bit, like, do you reckon it's a bit impersonal?
06:20Like, you're not really, you're not really knowing that person, do you reckon?
06:23I think, as well, for a first-time relationship, using a dating app is not the way to go.
06:29Yeah.
06:30Because I think it becomes a bit of a different section.
06:33Yeah.
06:34Yeah.
06:35You reckon it's sort of like a quantity over quality sort of thing, you reckon?
06:38Yeah.
06:39Yeah, because that's what our friend's situation is.
06:42It's her first real experience with dating, and then it doesn't go right.
06:48And then it's like, oh, dating's the worst thing ever.
06:51Yeah, but is it like you're basing it off that one thing, though, instead of, like, meeting people face to face?
06:55Yeah.
06:56Yeah.
06:57Do you reckon there's a bit of a fear about online dating as well?
06:59Yeah.
07:00Do you reckon you actually know who you're talking to?
07:01I wouldn't personally use it.
07:03No, I don't think I would either.
07:05It's just sort of like, if you're taking a risk, if it's a dodgy person.
07:09Yeah.
07:10That's the thing, you've got catfishes on you.
07:11Yeah.
07:12But I mean, they're getting worse, though, because they're trying to steal your money as well.
07:14So it's like, you know, it's...
07:16Do you reckon...
07:17Well, I'm not...
07:18Do you reckon the sort of older generation are more susceptible to it?
07:21Or do you reckon the younger generation are more susceptible to it?
07:23I'd say it's probably the older generation that's more susceptible to it.
07:26But it's...
07:27There's a lot of scam warnings out there now as well, so it's like...
07:30Yeah, yeah.
07:31Depends what ages they put in the apps as well.
07:33I think they should stick to their own age group.
07:35Yeah.
07:36Do you reckon it's the quality of app?
07:38Because obviously Tinder's a bit of a...
07:39Bit of a landmine, innit?
07:40You know, it's a bit of a...
07:41It's a bit hit and miss.
07:42But...
07:43There's so much that you can pay for because our friend was on my bar going to pay for it.
07:47Yeah.
07:48Don't do that.
07:49Don't do that.
07:50And it's like where the girl talks messages first.
07:52Yeah, yeah.
07:53So it's like...
07:54Now she has to pay for it.
07:57What?!
07:58Yeah.
07:59How what?!
08:00It's like quality of app, isn't it?
08:01You know, you get ones like Tinder and it's always free.
08:04And you get ones that are like...
08:05There's plenty of...
08:06Plenty of Frischia is like paid for, innit?
08:07And that's more of like a CD-based service.
08:08Yeah.
08:09I mean, I don't know if this means...
08:10Are there younger people on Plenty of Frischia?
08:12I don't...
08:13You've never heard of that one.
08:14No.
08:15That answers the question, doesn't it?
08:16Yeah.
08:17Personally, you'd never use it.
08:18You would use it.
08:19You wouldn't use it for your first relationship.
08:20I wouldn't use it for my first.
08:22Yep.
08:23Honestly...
08:24It's for a relationship!
08:26I don't really like the idea of it.
08:28It's like you're putting a picture of yourself and...
08:31You kind of just want to meet in person.
08:33And I think that's the problem with our generation.
08:36Yeah.
08:37We don't meet in person.
08:39Because I feel like we're both in university and that's kind of our last dating pool.
08:44Yeah.
08:45Yeah.
08:46And then we're in real life and looking for work and have real life problems to deal with.
08:52Fantastic!
08:53Yeah.
08:54Don't you say this is good?
08:55No!