Good impressions are easier to make online.

            This past week in class we had a discussion about how the Internet has a good quality that you can look past someone’s appearance and see that their interests are the same as yours. This means that people are able to connect based on shared interests across a multitude of socioeconomic classes that you would not normally meet in real life without this jumpstart. Another aspect that this property opens up is online dating. Based on many of the Facebook articles from this week and some peoples comments and personal experience it is a viable way to meet someone that shares similar interests and life goals as you. With this increased exposure comes the increase of people who know more about your personal life and could potentially try to exploit them. For instance if someone knows that you’ve recently experienced some form of personal struggle then it is easy for someone to play on your weaknesses and try to use them to get ahead or slow you down in your daily life. Another downside of the anonymity of the internet is something called cat fishing which is when someone creates a fake life sometimes stealing other peoples pictures and using them to manipulate people into doing things for them such as sending money or any other number of things. On the other hand though is the upside of the anonymity of the Internet is that it allows people to protect their identities when discussing controversial topics so that they are personally not targeted for their views. As with many aspects with the Internet the anonymity of it is a tool to be used how the user sees fit whether that is good or bad. The internet has effected so many people in ways that previously could have never been expected or described and we are just now beginning to understand how people are going to use it.