A first-time browser of these online resources will be shocked by the number of sites delivering opportunities for friendship and romance. Sites range from a general approach, to matchmaking by ethnicity, race, religion, region, horoscope, occupation, economic class, age, and even more idiosyncratic preferences. All of the online services offer same sex and opposite sex choices on their templates for customizing members' profiles. A participant who is interested in contacting another member, sends messages through the Network, which then gets rerouted to the members' e-mail address. There is no direct contact.
Online services have extensive privacy and conduct statements.
In particular, members must agree not to transmit obscene language or pornographic images, also to refrain from transmitting racially offensive language or images that can be interpreted by individuals or groups as hateful, prejudicial, or intolerant. The reason for security of this kind is, in part, historic. Online relationships can turn abusive, harassing, obsessional, or even homicidal. This is, in part, due to the level of the intimacy created by this technology. The virtual community pushes the democracy envelope and erases societal boundaries.