Posted on July 23, 2022
Nowadays, so much of life is lived online. And apparently, this global shift has had a big impact on how we treat the people in our lives, according to a new study from .
The internet can be a pretty unsavory place. Between overtly aggressive political discourse and purposefully offensive memes, the web has amplified some of the worst kinds of human behavior. Yet this isn’t limited to the trolls of the online world. The web is fundamentally changing the way we interact even with our nearest and dearest.
Through a survey of 2,000 respondents, has uncovered a number of unsettling trends in regards to how we treat people online:
- 26% of respondents said they would create a fake social media account to keep tabs on ex-partners and ex-friends
- 90% think that social media and instant messaging make it easier to flirt, but 34% had experienced the end of a relationship due something happening on social media
- 50% admit to deliberately making friends ‘sweat’ – waiting for a reply to messages
- 70% say they have felt anxious knowing a message they’ve sent has been read, but not replied to
It may be time to consider the way you interact with your own friends and loved ones online, and for a little self-reflection about what kind of digital person you want to be.
We Stalk Our Exes
When it comes to getting over an ex, the internet is the worst place to start. Social media platforms are seemingly designed to make you pine after your long-lost love. Ater a rough breakup, it’s no surprise that plenty of us turn to Facebook to keep tabs on the one that got away.
In fact, according to our data, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re already blushing just from reading that subhead. But this kind of behavior can go a lot further than simply browsing your ex’s holiday snaps. Our survey found that 1-in-4 people would go as far as to create a fake social media account simply to stalk ex-partners (or even ex-friends).
While it’s tempting to blame the individuals for this behavior, let’s not let the social media services themselves off so lightly. Some platforms not only remind you how great your ex is doing without you on a daily basis, but go out of najlepsi seznamovacà aplikace their way to remind you how happy you used to be with their handy “Memories” feature, keeping you from moving on with life.
Considering the popularity of these platforms, it’s no wondering some of us turn to stalking our former significant others on the internet. Not that we behave much better when it comes to new romances…Infogram
We Flirt When We Shouldn’t
Whether it’s reconnecting with a high school crush on Facebook, or downloading Tinder on your fifth wedding anniversary, the internet is where fidelity goes to die. Think that’s an exaggeration? Our survey found that 34% of respondents have experienced the ruin of a romantic relationship because of social media.
A ruined romantic relationship is one thing, but that only covers the guys and gals who have been caught being dishonest. And if that isn’t enough to convince you that the internet has an infidelity problem, consider the fact that 54% insisted that they would choose their best friend to look after their phone for a day rather than their partner.
Rest assured, it’s not because they’re planning a surprise party. It’s because they’re flirting up a storm in the DMs.
So what is it about the internet that makes staying loyal to your significant other so hard? Easy. The web makes it so easy to flirt.