Guilty secrets and a public pleasure

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May 23, 2005


By Sam Coates
A website that allows people to share their own - or their friends' - secrets is a surprise hit



IT IS more convenient than the confessional, more trustworthy than your best friend and infinitely more satisfying than keeping it to yourself.

A new internet site has come up with the answer for everyone harbouring a grubby, unpleasant or even criminal secret that they have sworn never to reveal. It invites you to spill the beans to the world — anonymously — on the front of a postcard.

From the employee who lied about having a terminal illness because they wanted some sympathy to the fan of reality television who deleted the Pope’s funeral from the programme recorder to make room for an episode of Survivor, http://PostSecret.com contains bizarre, funny and disturbing revelations.

For the contributors it is cathartic. For voyeurs, it is a chance to feed on the misery and despair — or even the creativity and mischievousness — of unknown people.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1623590,00.html