Why do People Tell Lies Online?

You hear of so many instances of people pretending to be something they're not whilst online. Everyone has their own motivations for lying and misrepresenting themselves, though clearly the Internet has made it much easier, because you never have to reveal yourself to the people you're talking to. Of course, even though, increasingly, people have decided to use web cams and other forms of technology to make online interaction more real, it is still possible to remain anonymous. You can quite easily post comments on forums and chat with random strangers without revealing yourself.

In the early days of online dating, you'd read the occasional horror story of how a woman would end up being raped because she had met up in person with someone she had discovered online. Of course, this was a nonsense. Plenty of people have used online dating sites and met people they actually like, just as people have met in conventional social settings and encountered problems. The problem is that online you can be selective about the information you choose to share. The chances are you don't see the person you're interacting with on a day-to-day basis and so you have less opportunity to unpick any inconsistencies that might be present in what they are saying.

It's not only what people say, though. There are also people who post pictures of themselves that actually look nothing like them, just to attract attention. Of course, this is fine until you decide to meet in person, in which case you obviously have to do a lot of explaining. There are undoubtedly those who hope to win over a potential mate with their personality, but if you have to lie to get noticed, it is hardly a good sign and is unlikely to go down well with anyone. It is somewhat understandable, though, when so much emphasis is placed on looks in the competitive world of online dating.

Some people tell lies online, because they want to make themselves seem more interesting than they are, or more attractive. Others may have a past that they're ashamed of and don't want to admit to. Virtually everyone is guilty of telling little white lies online, or at least evading certain aspects of the truth. However, there are those who maliciously set out to hoodwink people into believing their lies for financial gain or the purposes of some other kind of criminal activity. Many people have been conned out of money, believing that they are helping someone in desperate financial need.

There are other types of criminal activities that take place online and lying obviously helps criminals achieve their main objective, which is why it is so important to remain vigilant when connecting with people online. The Internet has opened up the world and made it possible for you to interact with a wide range of people you may otherwise never have associated with, but it is worth bearing in mind that not everyone is who they say they are and that it is very easy to get carried away telling lies online, when there is no one there to hold you accountable.