University of Texas Arlington

Assistant professor says courtships now revolve around social media

With social media playing modern-day Cupid, nerve-wracking first phone calls and formal, sweaty-palmed first dates have virtually disappeared, theSacramento Bee and the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader reported in publishing a story that originally appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Instead, today's 20-somethings navigate the tricky terrain of courtship through texts, Facebook, location check-ins and informal hangouts. Mark Tremayne, a UT Arlington assistant professor of communication who studies social media, said texting and social media have become so woven into young people's lives that they can carry out their entire relationships online. "There is a big blur between public and private, and kids who have grown up with all of these tools do not always realize the difference," said Tremayne, adding that he has watched students sitting two feet from each other converse via text message. "Nothing is as private as it once was."