The internet continuously becomes more and more integral into our daily lifestyle. It has become nearly impossible not to be in touch with social media and the digital realm, whether you’re at the library, hallways, or sporting events. Yet, despite this interconnectedness, some things on the internet are not reflected in the face-to-face behaviors of many users. So how different do we act behind our screens? 

Whether you like it or not, the internet is here to stay and is rapidly expanding. According to Forbes earlier this year, the average internet user spends 6.5 hours online a day. There is more than enough time for a person to develop their internet personas, which has become more evident. 

Many times, there is a perception that you need to always be updating your followers with Instagram posts full of flashy vacations and Snapchat stories with some other examples; there has become a tendency on social media to showcase our highlights rather than an authentic version of ourselves. 

We constantly see the lifestyles others are living and compare ourselves to that standard. According to Cybersmile, 89 percent of people said they engage in online comparisons with others, and 59 percent said on a daily occurrence. The large percentage of people actively using the internet for communication invokes us to realize our contradictory routines in person and online.

There is more than meets the eye though resulting from this; besides the aspiration to always be on, what about the confidence we gain and exude? According to ConsciousYouth, 70 percent of young people feel more confident than ever sharing their views online. The anonymity the internet provides leads us to be more abrasive and aggressive than we would be in person because of the detached nature of sitting behind a screen. When met with face-to-face interaction, however, that abrasiveness vanishes, leading to a more awkward interaction thanks to the separated personas.

The anonymity has also led to newer roles on the internet. Keyboard warriors, trolls, and nuisances have all become more prominent in the past few years because of COVID—whether it’s to people they know or not. It trapped people in their digital realm, and the sheer ease of making a statement on the internet and getting more people to react grew profoundly. Today, more people post without regard to its impact because of the disconnect of face-to-face interaction that the internet provides.

But what is the distinction between privacy and transparency? Over the past few years, there has been a rise on social media of jokes regarding the fear of their group chats getting “leaked,” a prime example of newfound abrasiveness traceable to the privacy essence of group chats only available to members. Group chats enable people to be more confident and express themselves in a contradictory manner compared to how they act in person. Our mannerisms are disconnected between how we act in private and how we want to be publicly perceived, impacting lives in both social and professional settings.

Creating contrasting personalities in our two lives is unhealthy and creates both a divide between the two realms and more social awkwardness upon interactions. Overall, we need to be more aware of our digital actions, distinguish the results of what we post on the internet and its impacts on our consciousness and social standing, and create a more cohesive version of ourselves on the internet and in person.