Cheating on the Internet
How do people go about cheating on the Internet?
As it turns out, it's remarkably easy to do so. Infidelity is on the rise and terms like "online affair" are becoming commonplace.
The Internet opens up communication, allowing people both anonymity, privacy and the ability to carry out internet infidelity without leaving a trace.
Here are some popular means used for cheating on the Internet:
- E-mail accounts. It's easy to open a new and completely free mail account on services like Hotmail or Yahoo, and you can prevent your personal data from being viewed by anyone else. People can open and dispose of free accounts at will, making it easier to cover their tracks and their cyber affair.
- Chat services. AOL, Yahoo, and many other sites offer free chat rooms. Some are dedicated to specific topics, like science fiction or cars. Others are meeting hubs for people who want to meet other people – married or not. Many of these services are anonymous so you can pretend to be whoever you like. Chat sessions aren't saved, so no records are kept anywhere.
- Virtual worlds. Second Life and other online worlds are manna for anyone interested in exploring or seeking out a cyber affair. Not only can you conceal your real identity, but also most of these worlds offer virtual sex shops and the online equivalent of singles bars. It's almost like having a full-blown affair in a fantasy world.
- Web sites. You can find sites that offer online private chat sessions for both men and women. They operate a lot like phone sex lines and often charge on a per-message or per-minute basis for their services. Cheating on the internet isn't always about emotional infidelity – it can be about cybersex, too.
- Internet phone services. Programs like Skype allow people to hold online phone conversations for free. Unlike regular phones, no records are maintained of these calls and there's no bill to be paid. These services are used by those that want emotional intimacy with another person without leaving a trace or those who want to engage in phone sex without getting caught.
While some people go much further, a great deal of cheating on the Internet involves little more than sexy chat and lovelorn email messages. Internet infidelity is usually an emotional affair, which can be even more damaging to a long-term relationship than a one-night stand.
The internet facilitates the infidelity urges that many people have. This super-highway has made getting useful information as easy as ever. It also puts destructive and tempting information right at our finger tips as well.
As a society, we are now forced to govern and control ourselves on what we use the abundance of information for.
If you suspect that your loved one is using the internet to be unfaithful, be sure to check back soon, as we will have the signs of internet cheating posted shortly.
"The internet has
facilitated cheating and infidelity"
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