Online disinhibition effect

Common card · No. 328991

The online disinhibition effect refers to the lack of self-control one feels when communicating online relative to communicating offline. Individuals often perceive heightened safety when communicating online, as they can remain completely anonymous on specific websites. This anonymity diminishes concerns about potential repercussions, such as physical harm or other punitive measures. Apart from anonymity, other factors such as asynchronous communication, empathy deficit, or individual personality and cultural factors also contribute to online disinhibition. The manifestations of such an effect could be in both positive and negative directions; thus, online disinhibition could be classified as either benign disinhibition or toxic disinhibition. The term was originally introduced by John Suler, a professor of psychology at Rider University, in his 2004 paper, "The Online Disinhibition Effect," published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. People had been noticing...

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