Perceived anonymity. I title it that way because it is really hard to be completely anonymous online, but many people feel that when they are entering into discussions online, that there is a veil of anonymity shielding them. Even with the social networks like myspace and facebook, where there appears to be less of an anonymous discussion, people will write and share things that many would not disclose in face to face or group, offline discussions.
I see this all the time in the sex chat rooms. It seems that sitting naked in front of the computer while engaging in adult conversations in chat rooms, or online discussion forums, people are not afraid to talk really dirty. I admit that i have found it easier to talk about many perverted subjects online. Perhaps it’s not that i wouldn’t engage in thse conversations offline, as I have, but it seems that it is easier to find an audience of people to talk with on the internet. I do however believe that most of the people you’d find in an adult chat room talking dirty would not be engaging in these discussions just anywhere or with anyone.
Maybe people would be talking dirty offline as well, and perhaps it has more to do with the perceived audience, rather than the perceived anonymity. Perhaps it has more to do with the anonymity of the other people in the discussion. Maybe it is easier to talk to a complete stranger about sexual fantasies, since you would not have the fear of rejection talking to someone close to you. so perhaps it is the strangers that are created by entering the online world of connective-ness.
Whatever it is, I certainly enjoy being able to get online any time 24-7 and finding other like minded adults who are ready to talk about sex, and sexual fantasies.