So, I would like to know...how exactly do people date online?

I would write a profile description that mainly focused on what I am actively pursuing, my short term and long term goals, and fundamentals values, but not my ‘interests’ because I have found common interests to be less of a useful filter. Lots of people like/make art. Lots of people like philosophy. That doesn’t mean I’ll have anything of greater depth in common with them.

Ummm...yes, you did have that choice, but you either were not aware of it or just did not do it.

dating = sharing experiences to try to get to know other people, with the intent of deciding whether or not you get along enough to go further, at each step along the way.

you can do that if you can connect with people, and email has been around for a long time...longer than since 1997.

You look for dates online. Some people date people in their local area and just look for people on a dating app to find them. Then others meet someone long distance and they spend a lot of time getting to know one another and then they meet in real life.

its easy it starts with text conversations in messages then if people are interested then they can talk over the phone or skype

I met my ex-wife in 1997. I have no idea how to go about dating online now. Let me know, haha.

We had chat parties in 97 and were very social online.