A new kind of social networking

Avatars are creations of the technology era that let people escape from reality into a world where they can do practically anything they want. Different types of personalities are custom created to whatever the user would like. Many people use this technology as a form of communication somewhat of a social networking tool. People are able to connect with other people around the world in this avatar form without really knowing who is behind the green –skinned muscular monster. This form of communication has really brought confidence in some people to help become more social than they are in reality. There may be some social barriers that deter these avatar users from being able to speak to people in person. For instance, if someone is really shy or feel awkward due to their appearance may be hesitant to speak to people in the public. However, these barriers do not seem to exist in this virtual world. There is no way of telling how the avatar user looks when communicating. It is one way of removing the physical attraction and going straight to understanding the individual. From the video seen in class, people have actually met through these avatar portals and formed a relationship. The people who only spoke through their avatars soon meet and possibly even fall in love. Thus, this is a very powerful tool to build relationships with other people around the world.