The members of the current generation of "digital guinea pigs" are true social pioneers as they embrace digital technology to create a new realm of mating, dating, and intimacy in America. Ironically, "digital dating" frequently results in an outcome that is exactly opposite to its participants' intended purposes.

" The Illusion of Intimacy: Problems in the World of Online Dating" is more than a thorough investigation of the realities of modern relationships, many of which begin online--one in five, according to Match.com; the book introduces the reader to some of the natives and...