Sexting Increasingly Replacing Physical Intimacy for 14% of Singles
A new survey by Dating.com reveals that digital sexual interactions are becoming a substitute for physical intimacy for a notable portion of adults. In the study of 2,000 respondents, 14% admitted they had chosen sexting over actual sex even when in-person intimacy was available. Nearly half (49%) said they find sexting exciting, while one in four (25%) reported using it to explore fantasies they would not pursue in real life.
Therapist Jaime Bronstein, resident therapist at Dating.com, explained that sexting offers excitement, validation, and a sense of control with significantly less emotional vulnerability than physical encounters. “Sexting gives people a sense of excitement, validation, and control with far less vulnerability than in-person intimacy,” she noted. The convenience factor also plays a role, with 13% of respondents appreciating the ability to “log off whenever they want.”
The survey also highlighted blurred boundaries in modern dating. Eighty-three percent of respondents consider sexting outside an exclusive relationship to be cheating, yet nearly one in four admitted to doing it anyway. Twenty-two percent said they maintain a regular “sexting buddy” while dating someone else. Additionally, 40% have sexted a platonic friend, and more than 20% reported sexting during work hours.
These findings align with broader trends in online dating, where digital interactions have become normalized. Previous research has shown that many users, particularly younger adults, prefer low-commitment forms of connection due to busy lifestyles, fear of rejection, and emotional exhaustion from traditional dating.
Bronstein cautioned that while sexting can feel safer in the moment, it may create long-term emotional confusion by blurring boundaries between casual digital flirtation and genuine intimacy. Naturally, this isn’t the case for established relationships, but singles with a preference for sexting over physical connection may end up approaching dating in an entirely different manner – one that would drive them to very different methods of meeting new potential partners or hookups.
