I thought this to be very appropiate to post here at 43T…
The first thing you do when you enter an online chat room is conceal your
identity. You use a chat nickname, not your real name. Is that lying?
No
It is not a lie because for safety reasons kids (and adults too) should
not give out any information that could identify you to strangers. Online -
everyone is a stranger.
Does it stop there?
Where do you draw
the line on lying online? A common practise in most chat rooms is a request for
"stats". You are being asked for your - age/gender/location.
While age
and gender can be harmless to give out in most instances giving out your
location is not appropriate. You should be as vague as possible - only giving
out country - or province/state. Never give out specific town/city information
or specific home addresses. Is this lying?
No
Again, for safety
reasons you should never give out your location to strangers online. This tiny
bit of information, that can seem harmless enables strangers to track you.
Does it stop here?
You should always protect yourself online
when it comes to personal information - anything that makes you feel
uncomfortable answering does NOT have to be answered. This is not lying.
For some though, the anonymity of the Internet (hiding behind a
nickname) allows you to make up just about any lie you want. How will anyone
know if you are telling the truth?
You could be anyone one you want, you
could be rich or poor, know famous people or have an uncle who is a race car
driver, you could be the smartest kid in your class, or you could be suffering
from a terrible disease. You could create some pretty "out there" stories about
yourself - and who would be the wiser? Is that lying?
In my opinion, Yes
Living lies, even online, can be a pretty big burden. You need to
remember who you told what to and the details of your lie - and as you tell it
will grow and grow until soon you won't know the truth from lies. Covering up
these lies and creating bigger ones to cover up those ones, is an awful lot of
work. Soon, you will be hiding from people because you can't remember your own
lies.
Sooner or later you will be caught in your web of lies. You will
trip up and someone will question you. This can be both embarrassing and
humbling. Is it worth it?
For the most part, honesty online - and in
chat rooms - is a good thing. It is much easier to develop a friendship with
other people based on truth rather then lies.
Try to give people the
benefit of the doubt when talking online. If someone says something you might
normally question, allow them to prove their sincerity before accusing them of
lying. Who knows, you could meet someone rich, famous, poor or hungry, an
Olympic champion or someone struggling with a disease.
We are all unique
strangers online. Once you get to know people online you will begin to be able
to sort the lies from the truth. Being lied to can hurt. Think about that before
you make up a story online, and ask yourself......
is it worth it?
