Social media may affect dating rules

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DALLAS, April 1 (UPI) -- Forty-three percent of the U.S. adult population is single but officials of the Web site Match.com say many don't realize some rules of dating have changed.

Whitney Casey, relationship expert for Match.com, says the study was conducted by MarketTool and involved more than 5,200 single U.S. adults ages 18-65. She says it's important for singles to know some dating rules may have changed.

"This study finds that dating behaviors drastically differ between the ages. Younger singles are more likely to friend their date on Facebook, communicate by text after a date, and be evasive about their availability if they're not interested in a second date," Casey says in a statement. "Whereas older singles are more cautious when it comes to dating in the digital era."

Forty-eight percent of women prefer men to make the follow-up call after the first date, but only 6 percent of men follow up within the first 24 hours and 68 percent say they pick up the phone between one to three days after a date.

However, 64 percent of singles are open to post-date conversations via text and e-mail. More than 80 percent still prefer conversations on the phone.

Twenty-six percent of younger singles, ages 21-34, say it is OK to add a date as a Facebook friend after two to three dates, while 11 percent of singles ages 35-44 wait to friend a date on Facebook until it becomes an exclusive relationship.

No further survey details were provided.