00:00 Online dating started in the 60s with a mathematician at Harvard who created a computer program called Operation Match, where people could submit a questionnaire and receive five names of potential matches.

04:51 Online dating has had a stigma of being embarrassing and desperate, but it is becoming more socially accepted and widespread.

09:30 Online dating has become more socially accepted and widespread, thanks to the advent of smartphones, apps, and GPS locators.

14:22 The basic online dating process involves creating a profile with minimal information, browsing potential matches, and eventually building a more detailed profile.

18:52 When creating an online dating profile, users are asked to provide information about their physical appearance, interests, activities, income level, and living situation, although it is possible to lie about these details; however, it is important to accurately represent oneself in order to have successful dates.

23:33 Free online dating websites often have issues with imposters, scams, and ads, but there are ways to verify the authenticity of someone's profile, such as using Google image search.

28:07 Filling out your online dating profile completely and demonstrating your interests and personality is important for success, as well as knowing what you want and avoiding bad blind dates.

32:43 After making a profile on an online dating site, there is a first contact procedure where you can either send a message to multiple people or be more singular in your approach, and some sites use algorithms to match you with compatible people based on similar interests and questionnaires.

37:26 It is important to talk to potential matches on the phone before meeting in person to avoid dishonesty and determine compatibility, and when meeting in person, it is recommended to choose a crowded public place for safety reasons and to keep the initial date short.

42:09 Online dating sites are still growing and becoming more normal, with apps like Tinder allowing users to connect with people nearby and some sites are more focused on casual hookups rather than dating, and data mining from sites like OKCupid and Match.com have revealed tips for optimizing online dating profiles, such as men having a tattoo being seen as cool while women with tattoos have a harder time getting a date, and women mentioning London, New York City, yoga, surfing, and being an athlete in their profiles are more likely to get dates, while men who use the word "whom" get more contacts from women.

47:16 Represent yourself online in a way that aligns with how you want to be viewed, as the people you attract will be based on the image you present.