Liar, liar hardrive on fire

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - Technology is cutting down on the amount of face to face time and a new study suggests without that contact, it's getting a lot easier to conceal the truth.

The research paper out of UMass Amherst suggests that online communications have made it easier to conceal the truth.

Jennifer Zawada of Chicopee agreed, she said, “I think it is true that people tend to be more evasive or tell white lies when they're using today's technology." 

The researchers looked at 110, 15-minute conversations between college students, either face to face, using email or instant messaging.

The emails were most likely to contain lies and overall any kind of communication that wasn't face to face made it easier to deceive.

Kristen O’Connor of Holyoke told 22News, “I mean I think it's true, I don't do it, but I think it is easier I mean you can't even tell what people mean when they're text messaging because you're not talking to them." 

While technology may make it easier to lie, it can also make it easier to catch someone in a lie.

Antonio Rodriguez said, “iPhones they can track people down with that say they're in one location and they're not."

And that's why some say it's better to always literally see eye to eye. 

David Whalen of Holyoke said, “I'd rather just talk to somebody face to face. You can tell by the body language and the eyes.”

The reason email conversations were most likely to contain lies is because they're not real time and you're not expected to respond to an email right away.

That gives people time to think about what they're going to say and possibly what not to say.