COUPLES who meet online are less happy than others with married life, a study shows.
They were said to feel judged and under stress because of the way they first got together.
Those who met in traditional settings, such as at school, college, work, church or socially, however, were found to be more likely to enjoy being wed.
Researcher Dr Liesel Sharabi said: “It’s the stigma surrounding their relationship that puts online couples under stress.
“They tend to face higher levels of societal marginalisation, either because they are more likely to be an interracial or a same-sex couple, or they feel judged for meeting online.
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"Being aware of these obstacles may allow online couples to have a longer, stable and happy future together.”
The findings are from a survey in the US of 923 adults, about half of whom met their future spouse online.
They were asked how satisfied they were being married and about the stability of their relationship.
The Arizona State University researchers also asked if they felt marginalised by society and how deeply they disclosed feelings early on in dating.
In general, online daters reported lower levels of happiness with married life.
In Britain, about one in five relationships starts online through apps such as Tinder, Hinge, Grindr and Bumble.
Nearly 9million are thought to use them regularly here and, according to experts, the number is expected to be closer to 12million by 2027.