ABSTRACT
This study presents a Goffmanian interpretation of online self-presentations and interactions with anonymous people among the youth in Coimbatore, India, through instant messaging chat and social networking sites such as Facebook and Orkut. A series of narratives of Kuwaiti students cited by Deborah Wheeler in her article provide a vivid description of Internet usage, especially Internet chatting among youth. The anonymity offered to youth by the virtual world allowed adolescents more flexibility in exploring their identity. The cues filtered-in perspective reflects that online interactions may be fruitful and result in positive outcomes. Ensconced in the theoretical realm of 'symbolic interactionism', Erving Goffman's dramaturgy metaphor is being popularized in the studies on online interactions. For most youths in this study, online interactions are meant for leisure, and seeking professional assistance is rare. However, on a few occasions, they may address their career and professional concerns through Internet chatting.
