Digital connections leading to real world "interactivity"

Tech may lower the barriers to human interaction in the real world, but it sure doesn't make us honest online.  Here's a quote from a study of online dating...and deception:

"In another attempt to collect objective data on deception, economists Guenter Hitsch and Ali Hortaçsu of the University of Chicago and psychologist Dan Ariely of M.I.T. compared the heights and weights of online daters with the same statistics obtained from national census data...they found that online height is exaggerated by only an inch or so for both men and women but that women appear to understate their weight more and more as they get older: by five pounds when they are in their 20s, 17 pounds in their 30s and 19 pounds in their 40s.

For men, the major areas of deception are educational level, income, height, age and marital status; at least 13 percent of online male suitors are thought to be married. For women, the major areas of deception are weight, physical appearance and age. All of the relevant research shows the importance of physical appearance for both sexes, and online daters interpret the absence of photos negatively."

[full article, from Scientific American, here]

One way to get around the fake photos and "nuanced" descriptions?  Go real world.

• Ice Brkr mobile - "TXT the boy/girl of your dreams in the bar - if he/she responds, go for it"
• CrazyBlindDate.com - hookup right now.  at a coffeeshop or bar.  No photos.
• Shyno - apparel with SMS codes so you can txt the wearer