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Love in the 21st Century: how online romance became big business

THE world of internet dating has come a long way since the concept was introduced in the film You've Got Mail.

Pictured: Ian and Mairi Smith, who met via a dating website (see case study)

Back in 1998, the idea of the characters of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks falling in love via email was a novelty. Fast forward and millions no longer think twice about logging on in the hope of finding romance.