The problem with communicating over the internet is that one doesn't have all the social cues as one would have over a in person-to-person normal conversation (in the same room, and not over video conferencing). The tone of the message, the subtle facial expressions, the normally gradual introduction to an individual are all lost in internet and social media communication. So it's difficult to gauge how the person you are talking to is receiving the message you are conveying. Even in video chatting/conferencing, it doesn't provide all of the social and body language cues that would normally be noticed in a person-to-person exchange, as it can be more of a "prepared performance" as both parties have more or less prepared or expected such a conversation beforehand.
One reason that people may be more blunt online is that one does not have to work or interact with them in real life, so interacting with those people can be done at "arm's length" and is an optional experience, unlike real life, in which interacting with people is not so "optional". Therefore the online interaction is almost completely optional (especially with the "blocking" features on today's technology), so an individual can choose which topics, conversations, and online users to involve themselves with. As preferential as that may be to the online individual to find and filter more and more individuals who are "just like me", it can create highly-isolating online niches (and online "echo chambers") that leads a society more toward increasingly fractured interest groups in finding more online friends "like me" and spending more time with them, while barely interacting with the personality, interest, ideological, and socially different neighbors, co-workers, and other acquaintances the individual passes by in the real world each day. Thus, it could explain the societal divisiveness and social awkwardness that have been reported on in today's society. ...Because why would an individual want to spend time with someone who is
just that different, when one can spend time with someone who has so many interests & viewpoints just like him/her?
Quote:
Originally Posted by FredWolfLeonardo
Ever heard of the Dark Web? I am fascinated by what goes in the minds of people who frequent that place.
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It's not much a stretch that they would be similar to the criminally opportunistic individuals like within terrorist groups, drug cartels, involved in human trafficking, etc.