Romance isn't dead, it's online

According to a poll of 128,000 teens, romance isn't dead, it just went online.

The poll, conducted by Habbo, the world's largest virtual world for teenagers, revealed that 76% of respondents believed that romance is still alive and well in today's digital age.

They believe too, that taking romance online actually makes thing easier - about two-thirds, or 64% of teens polled believe that virtual winks and MSN hearts actually make it easier for young people to flirt with each other.

But that doesn't' mean that Singapoean teens have totally dismissed seeming 'old-fashioned' forms of communication. More than a quarter (27%) still prefer to flirting face-to-face than going virtual.

However, instant messaging, social networks and virtual worlds (16%) are other methods teens are using to reach out to those they have a crush on.

Sticking with traditional gender roles, 55% believe that boys should make the first move, however 31% don?t think it matters which gender takes the plunge.

Dating and relationships are a hot topic amongst Singaporean teens with 63% rating them as important conversation topics amongst their circle of friends.

This is not surprising considering 55% of teens say they have had at least one real-life romance, including the 5% who claim they have been in over ten relationships.

Many Singaporean teens apparently start dating at the age of 12-13, and true to their digital-native ways, 64% have had at least one online boyfriend or girlfriend.

The 128,826 teens participating in the January 2009 Habbo survey came from 33 countries spread across 6 continents.

Habbo, formerly known as Habbo Hotel, is a dynamic and colourful virtual world in which teens can interact with others through online avatars called "Habbos", with options to build their own homes and communities and purchasing in-game items using real-life currency.