Why Do We Tend to Trust Strangers on the Internet?

Imagine you're playing a game with someone on your phone. You don't know them, but they seem friendly and fun. That’s like trusting strangers online, it feels safe because it's like playing a fun game with new friends. When we chat or share secrets online, our brain thinks it's just another kind of playtime, even if the person is far away.

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Examples

  1. A kid sends their favorite toy picture to a new friend on a game app.
  2. A person shares a funny joke with someone they just met in an online chat group.
  3. An animal lover starts talking about their cat with another person who loves cats too.

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Categories: Psychology · trust· online behavior· psychology of the internet · Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.