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Why do we ask strangers for advice online?

25% of social media users said they visit online platforms specifically to discuss and share ideas with others, often with people they've never met.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn — Everywhere we click people are asking for help on the internet and turning to social media groups for answers in an instant.

Lea Parks started the private Facebook group West Knox Chat as a safe place for women in West Knoxville to share ideas and get advice.

It has now grown to 2,500 members with more than 2,000 people on a waiting list to join.

"If you're looking for someone to do something in your house or the best place to get something, you can look online or you could have 2,500 women at your fingertips who are going to answer your question," Parks said. "I had someone come in my house the other day who did a fabulous job for some work in my house and I said 'I'm going to share you with the women' and I came back and he said 'I got seven text messages in one hour!'"

Parks said sharing reviews about small businesses and helping people in need became even more important during the pandemic.

"I've cried a lot just seeing how these women have helped people, helped single moms, helped organizations," she said. 

More than 4 billion people use social media, according to a recent digital media report by 'We Are Social' and 'Hootsuite'.

25% of social media users say they visit online platforms specifically to discuss and share ideas with others, often with people they've never met. 

Experts said we do this for a few reasons.

First, it's easy.

"Talking and discussing about our own problems to someone online rarely requires any emotional investment or ties of trust," said Mustafa Oz, assistant professor at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Oz, who studies social media, says anonymity is another reason we turn to strangers online, especially when it comes to sensitive topics.

"When people are anonymous the consequences of being judged or facing any social sanctions is minimal so that's why they feel more comfortable," he said.

Oz says it is impossible to process all the information we see on the internet so our cognitive bias decides for us, telling us what to pay attention to, what to search for and what to remember.

While it can make us feel seen and heard Oz says our online behavior can also make us less likely to seek out other viewpoints or sometimes spread misinformation not backed up by experts.

"Even though we have tons of information today we cannot say the same thing for the high quality of information," he said.

Parks says West Knox Chat has strict rules against sharing political beliefs or negative comments.

She wants the page to not only build community but help the community where members live.

"This is going to be a place that's good and going to encourage women and going to love on women, and I think that's what they've done," she said.

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