I’m not sure if this directly relates to your post, but I’ve sometimes found that great chemistry online doesn’t always translate in person. And vise versa. I’ve been kind of “meh” towards some guys, but meet them in person and am dazzled.

Some really good comments on this issue. I would add only that we consider in the absence of vocal inflection, body language, etc. We have to realize perception. Just as the human brain is programmed to seek out facial features in most everything it looks at, we fill in missing blanks with our own desirable (or not) characteristics Making our impression skewed. When met face to face we are surprised to find those blanks our minds filled in for us are incorrect.

Many men do good phone. But when we meet, I discover they have no sense of humor, are oddly withdrawn, or have poor conversational skills.

Studies show 82% of people post old photos and lie about their age, weight, activities, marital status or height on their online dating profiles.

I have reached the point that I am surprised when a man looks like his photos.

I experienced this when on live dating sites before I met my late partner. One woman was totally different from her bio. She told me she had used the club and met her husband. After over 10 years of marriage he died so she just resubmitted the original paperwork. Do people think others won't notice. Honesty is absolutely necessary because you will eventually be held accountable.

I'm normally a little reserved when first meeting someone irl. No matter how much you talk online, people will always put their best foot forward and they don't understand that in a face to face, when the reality hits, that it's a little creepy...

My roommate and I are precisely the same as we are here - same people.
Not at all surprised.

I suppose some people fake who they are everywhere they go. It's never appealed to me.

For many of the reasons already mentioned here, it is hard to ever truly know someone by just messages and phone calls, whether because of our own assumptions or the transfer of their personality from real life to digital.

I am a lot more quiet and aloof in person until I get to know you than I am in the digital realm. I'd have to know you for at least a year online and already feel extremely comfortable with you before I'd probably seem like the same person you talked to online. I am always honest about this and everything else about me, though, so it shouldn't come as a surprise upon meeting me.

Depends how well you know someone through phone and computer.

People are able to be less guarded when they’re protected by a keyboard. I, myself am much quieter and somewhat shy in person.

Some of it may be unconscious and/or unintentional, because online communication doesn't capture non-verbals (which make up anywhere from 77-90some% of communication), aspects of personality may be amplified, suppressed, distorted, or otherwise filtered OL versus IRL--quite naturally and innocently, just by virtue of the mechanics of it (for example I know I must come off as far more verbal--and therefore outgoing--OL, where I have less social anxiety, time and space to plan what I'm going to say, and my written communication skills can shine...as opposed to IRL where I am inhibited by significant social anxiety, say very little, avoid eye contact, etc.).

Also, in the absence of non-verbals, it's extremely easy--inevitable, even--for those on the receiving end of OL comm to interpret things in a distorted way (like tone, or lack of it).

And, or course, there's selectivity of presentation: people take advantage of the opportunity, OL, to put forth the best version of themselves.

Right brain,left brain? I dunno.

That hasn't been my experience. But I've only met a handful of people in person.