We really must remember ....

.....what a person here chooses to share with us in DMs is NOT necessarilly the same they would share with another member.
Some people here might see me as a kind, friendly person based on what they know of me on public posts. Some of my friends will think im calm, level headed and open to listen to others having a dad day. Others who I've corresponded with privately might realise that im an anxious overthinker, worrier....and not very together at all! A daft old lady. A gossip, a confidant.
All differing opinions of me. All conflicting, but also all true. We are a different person to everyone we know.
Also, we hear snippets of info about people from others that may or may not alter our opinions. We might hear a good friend of ours has been unkind to another member here. We may then not believe our lovely friend could possibly have acted this way...or we might see our friend in a different light???

Ive learned in a hard an painful way these last few years that no matter how much an online friend means to you, you cant have total trust in what you know about them. Often, that doesnt matter.....because the nature of yr friendship is casual, just for laughs.

We're all familiar here with past members hoodwinking lots of folk and turning out to be someone totally different....or...realising that one friend was actually 4 of yr friends! We all know of people here with multiple accounts.
It can hurt to find out, and make you feel silly, sad angry.
I guess I'm trying to say we all need to protect ourselves better. Be cautious. Are we all beingv100% real? Of course not....but thats not to say we are telling lies...we just choose not to share everything about ourselves with all people here. And thats a good thing.

But....also remember...some people DO outright lie.
And....we may never know.
But its pretty crushing to find out some you cared about has.