Ask anyone if they have signed up at an online dating website and they will instantly say no. But many of us have signed up at some point out of curiosity, for a bit of attention or just feeling a bit desperate.

So why are we all reluctant to embrace the world of online dating or at least admit that some of us are regular users of interactive dating?

Online dating has not exactly made the best name for itself.  When you imagine a typical person an a dating website you tend to see an overweight, sweaty middle-aged man, who still lives with his mum, works in IT and has not had a girlfriend in 15 years.

There is also that initial fear of finding out at you first meeting that 25-year-old, six-pack Fabio is actually a psycho maniac 50-year-old, who plans to keep you as some kind of sex slave and lock you in his closet at night.

I decided to take the plunge and signed up to a couple of internet dating sites to find out if internet dating really is something we should be ashamed and scared of.

With such enticing dating sites such as FWMuddyMatches for all those lonely farmers, ChanceForLove if you fancy ordering a Russian Bride and Toppicturedating for people with the mutual interest of body art, it was very difficult to choose which dating site to sign up to. In the end I decided to sign up to the more traditional dating websites www.plentyoffish.com and www.flirtbox.com.

Protected under my fake identity known as Thornpiece, on first impression both websites seemed pretty harmless and populated by normal hardcore web users. I received a series of pleasant messages from some ordinary guys asking “how are you?” and “did you have a good weekend?” etc.

Once I had been part of the internet dating world for about an hour my first impression was shattered by an email from a user asking me: “are you a moaner, a screamer, a scratcher or a bit- lip? Smmooocchh B the Sex Therapist on Duty.”

Straight after this email I received an email from a user who (judging by his profile picture) looked like he could split a woman in two with his manhood alone. The picture left absolutely nothing to the imagination.  It showed every single outline that you needed to see to work out that God had obviously given this guy a gift.

I have noticed that you do tend to see the stereotypical desperate, single, 40 plus men who are willing to do anything for a bit of action even drown the woman in expensive gifts.

One elderly gentleman, referring to me as “Thorny” asked if I would like to be “pampered like a real princess?” He continued to list the qualities he would like in a girl which includes “sexy”, “younger”, “naughty” and “submissive”, whom he would like to spoil with “Jimmy Choos, Gucci perfume and sexy lingerie.”  Well, at least this poor girl will smell nice and have amazing footwear.

Though despite the obvious dodgy profile, internet dating has started to obtain a growing acceptance from the general public. This is due to the widespread awareness that internet daring is not just for the lonely and socially inept but actually does attract young, happy, bright and professional men and women.

According to research carried out on online dating by Jeffery A. Hall PhD, in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, people are likely to behave just as they would in real life when they go looking for romance online. 

In his journal Professor Hall concludes: “Our findings dispel the myth that people using online dating are that different that anyone else who might find a relationship through friends, school or work.”

Internet dating is just a matter of personal choice as to whether someone feels comfortable getting to know people via the internet.

Internet dating is not for me, however, and I shall be deleting my profiles. I prefer one to one banter in person rather than banter via a keyboard. Also, I fear if I carry on down the internet dating road I will become a social hermit and develop a phobia of the outside world.