Would you lie in an online dating profile?

Browser beware! A new study suggests women lie about their looks and men about their jobs when looking for dates online.

A majority of young women lie in their online profiles about their appearance, including their weight, height and age, according to the study, commissioned by the online dating site BeautifulPeople.com.

Among men, almost half admitted to lying about their appearance. More than 40 per cent admitted to implying they earned more than they actually do, or trying to make their jobs sound more interesting than they are.

The study surveyed 1,000 single adults from the U.S. and Britain who subscribe to leading dating sites. (Canadians, it may well turn out we are completely honest. Ahem.)

There were some differences between the two countries. More than 53 per cent of Americans admitted to lying about their appearance, compared to just 44 per cent of Britons.

In both countries, however, the lies appeared to diminish with age; the study suggested this indicates "that as the years pass people want to be accepted for who they really are."

Would you ever bend the truth in your online dating profile? Why or why not? Have you ever met someone online and been shocked (either pleasantly or unpleasantly) by how they were in real life? Tell us your story!


(This survey is not scientific. Results are based on readers' responses.)