http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/26/technology/26drill.html  

The attached New York Times article is titled; On Niche Dating Sites, Many More Women, and the subject of choice is online dating.  One of the issues brought up in the article is the uneven split of men and women visiting these sites; however, I want to take a look at the bigger picture.  Mentioned in the article is the fact that there are certain sites for almost anything you could imagine, from admirers of fuller women to sites based on religious affiliation.  These sites are more than just a way to meet people; they are the foundation of a network. 

One of the major components in a network to tip an epidemic is a Connector.  As described in, The Tipping Point, the connector is the type of person that knows an inordinate amount of people.  Beyond this, they would also send out emails or cards to every person they knew, and once they found out about something great they would share the knowledge with other people.  They might not be the most convincing like a Salesman, but they tell so many people that at least a few will take the advice, and then they will reach out to a few people, and we have began to tip an epidemic. 

The website facilitating the dating services is trying to be a Connector.  Depending on what kind of criteria you have depends on which website you go to, or as it would be, which Connector you get to know.  The Connector has its digital rolodex of names and birthdates and personality types; based on this, the website sends out emails saying that one person should check out someone from a list of people deemed to be compatible.  The epidemic on hand is a relationship.  Obviously not everyone will share the same relationship, but everyone will have a relationship based on compatibility and not just drunken hook-ups or borrowing a pen in line at the bank.  Using specific website as intermediaries for such large networks is remarkable, because the networks will continue to exist as long as people use the websites, and the websites will be knowledgeable Connectors trying to get to know as many people as possible and making suggestions to people every minute.