People who are online too much think that people who are online too much are representative of the general public

You give me bmc vibes lol

I had a similar thought recently. I just discovered Instagram reels. As you know their algorithm pushes the type of content you seem to dwell on more often. I saw a girl dancing provocatively. I lingered a bit. Oh boy, it was a mistake. All I could get after that was the same type of raunchy, sexually provocative and suggestive content. I started wondering how many girls were pulling off these marketing stunts online!? Are they a good representative sample of all women on Instagram!? To be honest after watching hundreds of those reels it’s tempting to think most girls do that on Instagram.

The Internet is a vast wasteland. 99% of it is a total waste of time.

Are you sure about that? Even before the net there were plenty of people who didn't interact much with the rest of society. Are you sure that it isn't simply easier to spot the introverts online than out in the physical world?

I read this online.

The internet is where people go to escape reality. Those that live on internet tend to believe in the fairytales they find online, i hear you and agree.

Yes but lots of introvert people find it easier to express themselves online.

I believe the likes of Twitter (and lazy journalists) have ruined ruined modern journalism.

Accessibility through smart phones has changed who uses and consume the internet pretty drastically. Places that can be quickly checked and posted to have a lot more regular people using them. Twitter and Facebook being primary among them. They don't require prolonged interaction and have broad name recognition (enough to make nightly news).

Places like here tend to be the domain of the introverts who spend all their time online. The fact that we spend so much time online is the only reason we found this place exists!

I don't actually use Twitter. But it is hard to not be fascinated by the spectacle.

More extreme views are also more represented, as they'll find more of an audience than they would IRL. And they may get the impression that there are more people that share their views than there really are.

For another, 99% of people on the internet are comfortable expressing opinions they'd be afraid to express irl.

I am online far too much.

Big facts. There's at least on regular user here you can clearly tell thinks the shut-ins on reddit and youtube are representative of society at large and that they get all there news and social interaction from reddit and youtube.

Fact is 90% of these batshit to-dos pretty much exist in online circles. In the real world you never actually meet these people or see anyone endorsing them. It's just online being spewed by a core group of spergs.