How honest are you on the internet (and in real life)?

[NothingIsEverything 1,233]

If the internet has given us one thing, it's given us the power of anonymity: the ability to be lying deadbeats amd brain-dead morons without fear of consequence. But I know that not everyone is like that: there are intelligent people one the internet, you just have to be hard-pressed to find them.

 

But how honest are you truly on the internet? And however honest you are the internet, does that reflect how honest you are in real life?

 

For myself, I feel like on here specifically, I feel more honest than in real life. Slightly. If I ever get asked a personal question, I try to answer as honestly as I can. I won't give out exactly where I live for reasons. I have been more open since joining this site, but if I meet some random stranger, I'm not going to give him my life story. Even on here, there's some stuff I've rather not say about myself unless if it's necessary or if I've known the person a good amount of time.

[Clarity 3,094]

I feel the same. It's just easier to be honest online, because no one can see your expression or can tell if you're even telling the truth or not. I won't be inclined to give out personal information online, of course; but things like stressful secrets and personal life problems might be good to let out to a community who will understand and help you. Like here 

[Feather Gem 965]

Online, I be as honest as possible without giving too much information away.

And in real life, I'm even more honest.  I just absolutely hate lying and try to be as honest as possible with everything.  Hopefully, I'm not too honest.

 

"Gem, do you think I can be a soldier?"
"Do you want me to be honest?"

"Uhm...no..."

"Well then of course!"

"Be honest now."

"No.  You're not at all disciplined and not very hard working either.  Until then, you won't get to be a soldier."

[~StatesTheOblivious~ 1,794]

Well, while I try to be as honest as possible online, I often come into situations in "in real life" where I simply have to lie. But instead of being able to avoid such situations as easily as I can online, I have often no other choice than to directly deal with them in that morally questionable way. But I never exaggerate. I often even try to simply say nothing about certain things, so no questions come up. But in general, I at least try to be as honest as possible.

Edited August 30, 2013 by StatesTheOblivious

[Moonlight 7,279]

Usually, I'm honest in real life and on the internet.

But, I do lie from time to time. I'm a pretty good liar, since when I lie, people ALWAYS think I'm telling the truth.

 

 

I'm a bit more open about things on the internet more than I am in real life, to be honest.

Edited August 30, 2013 by WheatleyCore

[GhostPony750 958]

I am 100% honest on the internet, because I risk nothing, and there's nothing to lie about.

 

In real life, I tend to be too direct, I might hurt, but I try not to. I never lie, unless I need to, to protect someone for exemple. And when someone do a mistake that could advantage me, I tell them.

[Scootalove 10,684]

I'm still as honest as ever. I try to elaborate on my honesty but, when it comes to honesty I'm more honest in both real life and the internet.

[Onylex 2,836]

How I am in the real world compared to the internet doesn't really vary or change all too much.

 

I try to be myself as much as possible,of corse I am much more open and honest on the internet than in IRL, Im just much more shy IRL.

[Soundgarden 2,757]

I'm very honest online. But irl? Not so much....

 

I really find people who are lying on the internet just to be kewl or patrician extremely laughable and pathetic

Edited August 30, 2013 by Erio Touwa

[Haven Celestii 9,385]

I dont exactly change when going from real life to the internet. Im pretty much just as honest in both places.

I don't just lie to be lying cause i find it stupid to do, anonymous or not.

[Dsanders 5,742]

I find myself to be much more generally honest and open online about most things. Here especially, more than any other site. The topics of discussion on here, the debating threads and one's that are general but semi-personal, give me the opportunity and comfort to open up and be truthful about myself on the matter of those topics.

 

I feel much less inhibited here, as I see that other's are just as willing to open up about certain stuff, and plus, this site is one of the most family-like and trustworthy communities I have ever come across.

 

But to open up and tell the truth about really personal information, like my phone number, where I live, etc... I would only reveal it to a few really close friends online, and even then, they would have to earn my deepest level of trust(which has not happen and probably will not happen for ages to come.)

 

Overall, I am more honest and open about myself here online than IRL. 

 

IRL, I find myself to be really shy and would only open up to a few of my closest friends.

Edited August 30, 2013 by Dsanders

[Champion RD92 8,654]

Well I consider myself to be a really honest person both in real life and on the internet. I don't see the need to lie to people or say a bunch of bullcrap that isn't true. If I tell you something is the truth, you can trust that it's the truth.

[~Chaotic Eddie~ 479]

Myself, I'm almost always honest on the Internet. What is the point in lying? All you get out of it is some LOLs. If there's ever a time when I lie on the Internet, it's when I decide to mess around on Omegle, which I hardly do any more. That, and lying about my age to get into the official websites of 18-rated games

[Nightmare Night 151]

im only completely honest on this forum, I feel comfortable here so I see no need to lie. On other forums or games however I only tell as much of the truth that I have to. In real life I am mostly honest I only lie when I don't want to hurt someone's feelings or to prevent people from worrying about me. I wear a fake smile most of the time.

[Winterbass 763]

In real life I'm not honest at all, most of the things I say are true but I leave out things with great detail. I'm not open irl at all, I like to keep most things to myself. 

 

Here on the forums? As far as I can remember I haven't said anything that wasn't untrue. Sure, one or two things might have been with slight exaggeration, but all I've ever said is the entire truth.

 

On the internet, I don't see the reason why to create fake your reality. I'm completely anonymous and I very much doubt that someone is ever going to backtrace someone like me to find out who I really am, that chance is so small, it won't happen.

 

Another big plus on the internet is that I don't need to sugarcoat things just to avoid hurting people. Being honest, even though truth can be hard to take sometimes, is far better than lying to someone just to save his feelings.

[NightOwl 911]

I'm honest about 80% of the time everywhere be it the internet or real life I find it very difficult to lie but at the same time I'm not perfect. 

[Fluttershyfan94 5,738]

I'm honest on the internet and in real life, sometimes I do spice it up a little. Like, you know exaggerate a little but I haven't really been dishonest to anyone. 

 

In real life, I'm probably too honest. I've been told that I'm not a good liar. Not sure about that, I'm good at it I just don't want to. So I try being honest to people and I just tell them how it is. Unless it comes to feelings, I don't share them feels..

[Blue Moon 6,336]

For me online, it really depends on what site I'm on. For example, on a site like this where I know a lot of people very well and trust them, I'm very honest. However, I sometimes lie on sites like Youtube where I barely know anyone and no one knows me.

 

As for real life, I try to be honest, but I lie sometimes. Luckily, I'm pretty good at it, but I feel bad about it sometimes depending on what I'm lying about. But overall, I'm a fairly honest person.

[Le Kvlt Dawn 2,364]

I'm a lot more honest on the internet than I am IRL. I come from a hyper-Catholic family so if I told my parents that I'm an atheist and a gray-a/demisexual biromantic they would get mad at me. In other words, I hide my religious views and sexuality from my family.

Edited August 30, 2013 by Sakurako Ohmuro

[Starling 100]

I'm more honest here instead of real life v.v I'm not saying I'm a liar in the real world but I can be honest about certain things because I can interact with people who like the same things as me. Such as ponies for example, I can honestly talk about them here but not in the real world. I'm also honest about my sexuality :x If I told people who knew me irl I was bi I think a lot of them wouldn't be very nice about it e.e There are obviously some things that are supposed to be hidden here on the internet and I do follow those things e,e I'm not going to go and give out all my personal information like that xD

Edited August 30, 2013 by Smushins

[Jackleberry 1,920]

I'm pretty much a completely honest person all the time, both online and in real life, it's just not like me to tell lies and such, which I think might have something to do with my shy and kind personality.

 

EDIT: Of course I'll probably tell a lie if some random stranger on the street asks me for certain personal information or something, that's pretty much a given. xD

Edited August 30, 2013 by Sir Lunashy

[Discordian 6,013]

I'm pretty much the same online that I am offline. The only difference is that when I'm online I have more time to think about what I say while typing so I sound more sure of myself. I stutter a lot when talking in person. No real reason except maybe that I spend more time typing than I do talking so I'm not quite used to it. I've had to get used to looking people directly in the eye though. Another thing that isn't what it seems: I'm not uncomfortable looking into people's eyes, I just don't pay attention to where my eyes are looking half the time and have a tendency to look upward for no apparent reason while I'm talking. When I do look though, I often see fear in someone's eyes though that's usually when talking to teenage women. I think I scare them for whatever reason. Probably because I fit into the "fat pervert nerd" stereotype based on looks alone.

 

But yeah, that's the only real difference for me online and offline. I have no filter for what I say in person so sometimes I speak faster than I think instead of being the other way around.

 

Of course, I'm always willing to talk with anyone both online and offline but I prefer that others initiate the conversation. The few times that I do people just kinda blow me off or conversation dies quickly. I don't think people like talking to me.

[Crispy 5,563]

Honest enough that it's cost me friends.

 

I tend to be very blunt about my opinions, and I tend to call people out on things I consider bullshit.  Turns out, it's not a popular decision.

[Mutemutt 772]

I feel like I'm more honest on the internet. For some reason I'm just more open about stuff on the internet and I rarely ever find a need to lie to anyone. Offline I lie all the time; I don't want anyone to worry about me so I tell them want they want to  hear.

[Jokuc 8,172]

Very honest. Both in real life and online. Though I have realized that being too honest in real life is not as great always

But there are a few moments when even I have to lie. You know, when telling the truth only causes problems and will not make anything better for any person. I mean I don't like to lie, so I try to be honest all the time ^^