Final answer:
Arranged marriages are social institutions where families or third parties play a significant role in choosing a spouse for an individual, and despite legal and societal changes, this practice continues in various forms worldwide, including through online matchmaking services for people seeking partners from their cultural backgrounds.
Step-by-step explanation:
Arranged marriages are a form of social institution where the spousal selection is not left to the individuals alone but involves negotiations and decisions by families or third parties. Despite the modernization and changes in societal norms, such as the increasing rate of consensual unions where couples live together without formal marriage, as seen in countries like Iceland, arranged marriages persist in various forms across the globe. One adaptation of arranged marriages in today's globalized world includes the use of online websites and professional matchmakers to help people find spouses who share their cultural values, which is significantly popular among individuals of Indian nationality or descent. The practice of arranged marriage, while decreasing in some regions, still exists and may at times occur contrary to legal standards, exemplified by its continued albeit illegal practice in certain nations.