If the thought of online dating in a majority-Muslim country inclined to conservatism seems strange, you should get over it. Although the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) finds that only 0.1% of 603,751 marriages in 2012 happened after couples met first in a digital environment, compared to 41% tying the knot with people introduced through their family circles, the real story is a little bit more complicated.
“I don’t take TUIK’s findings seriously on this issue,” said Haluk Akin, co-owner of PembePanjur, a dating-for-marriage site with nearly 2 million visitors, who sign up for a fee of less than $10. “There is a negative perception about finding your partner online, and couples usually end up lying about it if they end up in a working, long-lasting relationship potentially and hopefully ending with a marriage.”