New survey data from ReverseLookup.com suggests that users across social media, dating apps, and professional networks increasingly assume online identities are curated rather than authentic.
A growing number of internet users no longer treat online identity as inherently trustworthy. According to new survey data from ReverseLookup.com, based on responses from 11,842 adults across the UK, US, and Latin America, 71% of respondents believe people are less honest online than they were five years ago.
The findings suggest scepticism online is no longer limited to scams or misinformation. Instead, users increasingly assume digital profiles exaggerate aspects of real life, including appearance, lifestyle, relationships, and professional success. Overall, 66% of respondents said they believe most online profiles present edited or strategically curated versions of reality.
The shift appears closely tied to the rise of AI-generated content and increasingly performative social media behaviour. Across all surveyed regions, 69% of respondents said artificial intelligence has made it harder to distinguish between genuine and fabricated content online, while 58% said what they described as “fake personality culture” has become more common across social platforms.
Rather than leaving digital platforms, users appear to be adapting their behaviour around them. According to the survey, 53% of respondents said they had investigated or verified someone online because something about their digital presence “felt off,” while 47% said they no longer fully trust new online connections without additional verification.
The strongest scepticism appeared on social and dating platforms, where identity is often shaped through selective self-presentation. Respondents in Latin America reported slightly higher distrust toward online identity than users in the UK or the US, with 74% saying exaggeration on social and dating profiles has become commonplace.
Across all regions surveyed, 62% of respondents said the internet now makes it harder to know what is real, while 55% said they have become more cautious about trusting information shared by people they do not already know personally.
The data points to a broader cultural shift in how online identity is interpreted. Profiles, posts, and messages are increasingly viewed less as transparent reflections of reality and more as constructed representations shaped by algorithms, visibility, and social incentives. As AI-generated content continues to expand online, trust is becoming increasingly conditional, something users feel must be assessed rather than automatically assumed.
About ReverseLookup:
ReverseLookup is a multi-input verification platform for phone numbers, emails, and images. Built for everyday use, ReverseLookup.com enables users to assess unfamiliar contacts, investigate questionable profiles, and identify potential fraud across key digital channels. It combines reverse search methods with open-source intelligence (OSINT) to offer a direct, accessible way to review digital identities and make informed decisions online.
ReverseLookup is a multi-input verification platform for phone numbers, emails, and images. Built for everyday use, ReverseLookup.com enables users to assess unfamiliar contacts, investigate questionable profiles, and identify potential fraud across key digital channels. It combines reverse search methods with open-source intelligence (OSINT) to offer a direct, accessible way to review digital identities and make informed decisions online.
Media Contact:
Ashleigh Thomas (PR Manager)
pr@reverselookup.com
Ashleigh Thomas (PR Manager)
pr@reverselookup.com