Online vs. Offline

Are you different online than you are offline?

Do you say and do things online that you would never think of doing offline? Or if you knew someone you really know was watching?

Is it different for you if you are on a forum such as this, Instant Messenger, email, etc?

Have you met online people offline? Have you found them to be the same or very different than you had seen online?



Obviously the answers are only going to be as good as the level of honesty in the responses.

 

Well I met my boyfriend online :lol:

I think I'm the same online than offline, except that I might be a bit bolder online than off. Because of the anonymity I guess. In my 'real life' I am quite private and conservative about my own secrets!

 

I think I am the same person online as offline. But because of the anonymity I can probably be more open than I normally would be around strangers.

I always try to write things I can stand for, and things that wouldn't haunt me too much if someone I knew was reading it. I also try to be as polite (or rude ) online as I normally would be.

I've met people from the net several times. I've always had a lot of online contact first, and then contact over the phone, so they've always turned out to be who they said they were. Met my future husband online.

 

I would say I am more open and flirty online than I am in real person. I mean don't get me wrong I love to flirt when I am out and about but I hardly would talk to a stranger the way I do sometimes here.
I also ask questions I wouldn't always be comfy asking some of my friends etc. But in essence what I put out here is me.

Yes, I've met people in person that I met online. My ex boyfriend was from an online dating site, some of my friends in Chicago I met through a supper club which was arranged online, I met 2 members from this website in person (hey y'all :wink: )

I am not a big fan of IM unless I already know the person a bit (either in person or through emails or discussions online)

 

I'm more open and outgoing online. I see interacting with people online a way to hang loose and have a bunch of fun with people who often share similar interests as I do.

 

I'm the same offline and online. If anything I am probably more held back online because I'm very aware of the fact that everyone is so easily trackable. So anything I put out online I better be ok about having anyone out there see. In person I'm actually probably less diplomatic and tend to be more direct and up front.

A couple of people from this forum I have emailed with, IMed with, spoken on the phone, and/or know in person and I think they would say the same....actually - I know they would because we've discussed it

I know lots of people think that nicknames and different emails hide their identity but it's pretty easy to track someone if someone really wants to do it. If someone comes on a board like this or an email list and uses several accounts they can usually be found out pretty quickly. For one thing...people have a unique way of writing and it will come out sooner or later. I've seen it happen on this board I used to be involved in tracking online scammers and it's pretty easy to figure people out by watching for consistencies and giving it some time.

I've met quite a few people in real life after connecting online through various ways.... online medical support, volunteer work, parenting, adoption, and even dating. Most have been pretty much the same. Maybe a bit shyer or more outgoing....but overall the same. Meeting someone for dating online has been the major exception to that and even there...there have only been a couple of men who were not as they appeared online.

 

online/offline...i am exactly the same...very candid...open...honest...when i write something online...for me it is how i would say it to you...in my head i review my end of the conversation and then type it into the forum...the only thing that you probably miss in my writing is that i smile/laugh alot...i am a very touchy/feel kind of person...because i work with the public all of the time i have to be high energy...it's almost like you have to have so much energy so that you can give some of it to your clients...i am in the business of making women feel better about themselves...i have to feel great about myself in order to ignite that kind of confidence in the people i work with... :smt024

 

I think I'm about the same online and offline (I don't post much here anyway, but judging from the other forum I frequent) if anything I'd even say I'm more outspoken and straightforward IRL, simply because in a face to face interaction it's far easier to avoid misunderstandings.
And while I don't have anything to hide I still wouldn't really like it if people I know IRL read everything I write on the net (now meeting someone you got to know through a forum is a completely different story). To me that's the same as that I can't stand it when people listen while I'm on the phone with someone else, even though they already know or I would tell them later the exact same stuff I'm talking about. Ok I know, this really doesn't make any sense, but for whatever reason that's how I feel about it. :? :lol:

 

That is a great point. The amount of misunderstandings that i've had over the net are ridiculous lol. I mean, it's just impossible to accurately relay feelings back and forth through typing.

And as far as the original question, i'm not sure. I've always been more of a writer than i am a speaker, as i don't like small talk very much (i like to get straight to the point lol) but pretty much what everyone sees on here from me is basically the same kind of person that i am in real life. i try to be as accurate and consistent as possible when explaining my personality online so that there won't be any confusion later if/when i'm actually able to meet the other person.