sort of Off-topic: Do online dating apps work?

Ok so this is sort of relates to Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice because of the characters from Private Practice, Charlotte and Cooper, who met online on some sex site, a role-playing or fetish web site, and then seriously dated, got married, had a bunch of kids and lived happily ever after

E.T.A. Also, Teddy on Grey's Anatomy, I remember, went on a few dates she met online and then got drunk once and complained about them to her saying how the profiles don't contain relevant information that she later finds out

Obviously it's a fictional series but I wonder about that, so if anyone can provide any input on the subject and please pretend that I am a socially retarded human asking this because for all intents and purposes, I am. I've never dated so it's difficult to imagine but I'm asking because a part of me maybe would like to think it could possibly be possible

Any input would be good

no trolls please, I know that I am inviting them simply by mentioning them but I really wonder about the online dating apps and their effectiveness or not with dating, mainly because I have always been so reluctant to considering them but I am curious about what experiences people have had with them
Although my best friend did tell me a few horror stories that her cousin had with online dating

Thoughts?