What is an ebaby, you ask? We hear you. It’s a new term, coined by Monash and eharmony, through their newly released ‘Future of Dating’ report.
An ebaby is a baby born to parents that met online. The fact that there is a term for that is kinda wild, given that dating apps still feel a somewhat recent addition to the world of first-dates.
But it’s easy to forget that before there was Hinge, Bumble and Tinder (and all the rest), websites like eharmony existed and have produced their fair share of happy marriages. People have been meeting online since the dawn of the internet… and can you blame them? It’s online shopping, for the premium lover.
According to the report, within the next 20 years, babies born to parents with an online love story will be far more common than babies who were born to couples that met the “old fashioned” way.
With 29.4% of Australians meeting online, versus the 6% that meet at a bar, club or pub, online dating is now the most popular way to meet your long-term lover. 2040 has been identified as the “tipping point”; the year that almost every couple in Australia will have met online.
“Online dating is more prevalent than ever,” said eharmony relationship expert Sharon Draper.
“Particularly since the challenges we’ve seen throughout the COVID 19 pandemic, and its restraints upon normal human interaction and touch.”
So not only are we looking at a future where most of Australia’s children will be sharing stories about their parents meeting online, there will be more of them. The report finds that couples who’ve met online in more recent years (2014-2020) on average have 2.3% more babies than those who met face-to-face. This can only mean that a key group of singles that look for love online have babies on their mind. Watch out fellow swipers.
The report estimates that 20% of all babies born in this millennium are ebabies. It also revealed that 21% of online couples that had a baby did so within a year of meeting. Perhaps this is because online daters usually go into their journey with a pretty clear idea of what they want (or don’t want) and are actively looking.
“Online dating often allows a couple’s relationship to be fast-tracked,” Draper explained.
“It brings together like-minded singles who share core values and personality traits. This streamlines the process of understanding someone else’s goals, which allows the relationship to flourish as both parties can clearly identify what each one is looking for and move forward.”
But let’s be honest, finding your long-term partner online has always had a bit of a negative stigma. From not knowing how to explain it to your grandparents to removing the romance of fate, falling in love with someone via the digital world has certainly thrown a spanner in the works of tradition.
Finally, in 2021 and the positive results clearly outweighing the negative stigma, two-thirds of Australian’s agree that online dating is more normalised and accepted now, than ever before.
“Society has become used to online dating,” Draper said. “People are learning that not only can they find their significant other online, but create a meaningful and loving relationship as well.”
Over half of our population say that the internet makes it easier for introverts to find love.
“Singles that find themselves shy and introverted can rest easy when looking for love online. Online dating can feel a lot less confronting compared to walking up to someone at a bar and creating conversation. So for introverts, online dating is the perfect place to start looking for love.” Draper said.
Dating can be difficult, emotionally exhausting and sometimes a bit disheartening. Whatever makes the process of meeting new people easy for you, we reckon is the way to go.
Maybe you’ll make some of your own ebabies someday. Here’s to wishful thinking.