Why do so many people pretend to be someone else while online?

I do not understand the need to be fake or troll message boards.

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The short answer is: 'Because they can'. Some of the perceived falseness is already shunned, case in point the new PSA campaign about cyber bullying. Fake people exist in reality just as much on the internet. Troll is a very apt term for the activity as it describes the person and what they are doing.

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Answer by Tracipoo (1329)

That's a very easy question. People like to go online and be someone else because they are bored or unhappy with their own lives. It's also a way for people to cheat on their spouses. It's best to really take time to get to know someone before you meet them.

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Answer by kmott (188)

Being online provides a degree of anonymity. This allows for identity experimentation, which includes the extreme of pretending to be someone else. In short, people do this because they can.

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Answer by kf4vkp (295)

Because they have the thrill of anonimity. They get to say the things that they sometimes wish they had the courage to say/do in real life.

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posted by Anonymous
Or pretend to be someone they wish they could be...such as Willow Palin. It is mind boggling how easily people will swallow up up someone claiming to be a celebrity..it is just baffling. As if a celebrity would have a public FB or Yahoo for all to find add a comment

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Answer by Anonymous

There is a troll named noserose, who is an internet addict...she has probably a dozen message board memberships and is online 20 hours a day. Total fantasy existence. You should here the things she says............if you call her on her fakery.....look out! oy!

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posted by Anonymous
yes, I know her. Thanks for the heads up anonymous. I knew there was something 'off' with her. She must be really bored and unhappy with her real life. Is there counseling out there? First she needs to realize she has a problem though. add a comment

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Answer by Anonymous

It is all entertaining unti you breaks someone heart, send them into a tailspin, and ruins their life for awhile. It isn't cool to pretend to have life plans with someone, then tell them you are not even who you say they are. Cruel.

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Answer by Anonymous

The whole "mind game" thing is "fun" until you realize you fell deeply in love with the one you are playing games with. You realize if you had just been honest, you would have had something lasting and loving with them, but they found out, and you blew it.

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posted by Anonymous
..And they ALWAYS find out. Eventually you run out of photos taken from Google search, run out of excuses why you can't meet them or "cam" and run out of reasons to tell them the business you claimed to own doesn't seem to really exist. add a comment

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Answer by Anonymous

Because it is fun pretending to be someone else. Living a different life in cyberworld. Being who you want, being able to be someone you are obsessed with or wish you were. Such as a celebrity for instance. It is amazing how easily people are fooled.

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posted by Anonymous
It is also interested how easy it is to find pictures that work, and even get fake phone numbers using chat mediums such as Yahoo. The difficult part is when the question of webcame comes up. Then it is over after you run out of excuses. add a comment

posted by Anonymous
Sorry meant to say "interesting" and "webcam." Not "interested" and "webcame." add a comment

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