Read the following passage about online dating and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the best answer to each of the following questions from 23 to 30.
Psychologists have found many advantages and disadvantages to online dating. Among the many criticisms aimed at online dating, the most severe concern is its effects on people's self-esteem and mental health.
Swipe left or right is the main feature of popular dating apps, where users quickly look at profiles. However, this system is criticized for being superficial. A study showed that users often feel less satisfied with their appearance. Jessica Strübel found that after a while, users begin to feel less like unique, special individuals and more like they're disposable. This feeling leads to users becoming increasingly sensitive about their looks and bodies, heightening self-consciousness. Dating apps also added to the idea that there's always something better around the corner, which further pressures users into trying to appear more attractive.
Dating apps not only harm self-esteem but also alter perceptions of relationships. By accelerating the dating process, these apps encourage poor social behavior. For instance, it's not unusual for people to ignore "likes" and messages or to lose interest and cut off communication. This behavior would have been considered extremely rude in the past. But with online dating, it is a common reality.
Furthermore, thirty-five percent of users actually reported feeling pessimistic about dating. Only twenty-eight percent of surveyed users reported feeling hopeful after using a dating site or app.
The word it in paragraph 3 refers to _____.
