The Projection of False Identities onto Internet Friends.

Have you ever met someone online, who you've never met in real-life?

For some of you, the answer is no. But if you're the kind of person that managed to find this blog, then the chances are that you have at least one online friend. But how much do you really know them?

Talking online every day for a month can make you feel that you know them, like you know them better than anyone else possibly could. But of course, you know that they know barely anything about you. In fact at some point you've probably discussed the dangers of online friendships, how either of you could be some wierdo that we hear so much about in the media. But you know you aren't (at least, I would hope so).

A brief stint of online chat with somoene gives us a false impression, one that is very often completely different from the real-life person. I know, for example, that I am much more confident, much more talkative online than I am in real-life. I'm more risqué over email than I might be face-to-face. I'm much shyer in person than I am over IM. It stands to reason that they are different too. Perhaps not all of them. Possibly I'm the only one. But I doubt it...