New research points to a cultural shift in how trust is formed, with emotional due diligence emerging as a learned digital norm rather than a safety response.
A large majority of adults now approach new personal and romantic relationships using the same evaluative habits they apply to online shopping, according to a new survey conducted by ClarityCheck. The findings suggest a broader cultural shift in which emotional trust is increasingly treated as something to be assessed, compared, and verified before it is extended.
The survey, carried out by ClarityCheck among 6,412 adults across the US and UK, found that 71% of respondents consciously compare how they assess new personal connections to how they evaluate online purchases. This includes cross-referencing information, checking consistency across platforms, and delaying emotional investment until enough confirming details are present. Respondents did not describe this behavior as fear-driven, but as habitual and pragmatic, shaped by years of digital decision-making.
Attitudes toward trust itself appear to be changing alongside these behaviors. 64% of respondents said that trust must now be “earned digitally” before it becomes emotional. Verification of names, phone numbers, images, or online presence was widely described as a preliminary step that precedes a deeper connection. According to ClarityCheck, this reflects a reframing of trust as a process informed by information rather than a default assumption at first contact.
Clear demographic differences emerged in the data. Among respondents aged 18 to 29, 83% reported verifying some aspect of a new connection before meeting in person or committing emotionally, compared with 56% of those aged 45 and above. Gender differences were also pronounced: 75% of women said they regularly verify new personal connections, compared with 59% of men. Women were more likely to describe verification as boundary-setting, while men more often framed it as confirmation or reassurance.
According to ClarityCheck, these patterns reflect differing digital socialization rather than heightened suspicion. Younger respondents, in particular, reported growing up in environments dominated by reviews, ratings, and reputation systems, where credibility is rarely assumed without supporting signals. These habits now extend beyond commerce into interpersonal life, shaping how emotional risk is managed.
“What we are seeing is structure, not distrust,” said Ihor Herasymov, Managing Director at ClarityCheck. “People have learned to navigate uncertainty online by checking and validating information before committing. It is increasingly normal for those same habits to guide how emotional trust is built. Verification has become part of modern emotional literacy.”
Respondents themselves did not view this shift as harmful to intimacy. 58% said that verifying someone early made them feel more comfortable being open later, suggesting that emotional availability is now contingent on informational clarity. For many, verification functioned not as a barrier but as a way to reduce ambiguity.
That sentiment was echoed by a ClarityCheck client who participated in the survey. “I do not see verification as suspicion,” said one respondent, a 32-year-old female participant from the UK. “It’s the same mindset I use when I book accommodation or buy something expensive online. Once I feel confident about the basics, it’s actually easier to relax and connect.”
The research also points to the durability of this cultural shift. 69% of respondents said they expect digital verification to become even more normalized over the next few years. As online and offline identities continue to converge, the norms around emotional trust are evolving in parallel.
According to ClarityCheck, emotional due diligence is no longer a fringe behavior tied to personal safety. It has become part of how people decide when connection feels justified, sustainable, and emotionally secure, a quiet but far-reaching transformation in how digital intimacy is negotiated.
About ClarityCheck:
ClarityCheck is an all-in-one background verification tool for phone numbers, emails, and images. Designed for everyday digital safety, ClarityCheck helps users instantly identify unknown contacts, trace suspicious profiles, and check for potential fraud across phone, email, and photo input. By combining reverse lookup and OSINT technologies, it offers a streamlined way to verify identities and protect yourself online.
ClarityCheck is an all-in-one background verification tool for phone numbers, emails, and images. Designed for everyday digital safety, ClarityCheck helps users instantly identify unknown contacts, trace suspicious profiles, and check for potential fraud across phone, email, and photo input. By combining reverse lookup and OSINT technologies, it offers a streamlined way to verify identities and protect yourself online.