[Jessica.]

Would you consider anyone you speak to online, but haven't met, as an actual friend? Do you think it's possible to have a true friend online? What do you look for in a friend? Do you think friends in real life are more important than online friends or are they equal?

[Jords]

I used to have many 'online friends' (inc. you Jess ) but Id probably consider them more as 'online acquaintances' now due to lack of interaction.

[Drew.]

A few from here i'd consider friends on the same level as friends in real life, it kinda becomes like that when you speak to some of them every day for years. I probably have more in common with some people online too. Much easier to lose contact and just forget about people online though.

[Black Dagger]

I don't really have real life friends, sad really, apart from my old school friends who I see once a week for pub quiz.

But yes I definitely have a lot of friends online (and enough to actually meet 4 of them irl )

[Jessica.]

Originally Posted by Drew.

Much easier to lose contact and just forget about people online though.

I agree, that is one of the toughest things about online friendships, I have had so many friends who just disappeared one day.

[Jessica.]

Originally Posted by _LucasMichael_

I don't really have real life friends, sad really, apart from my old school friends who I see once a week for pub quiz.

But yes I definitely have a lot of friends online (and enough to actually meet 4 of them irl )

I don't really have friends in real life either, Lucas, it's not sad, you're just superior.

[Shaun]

Voted the first option because social interaction (plus the history ) is way more important, but on the other hand I probably talk to some from here about more personal things than I do with any RL friends.

[Braden]

I speak to people on here like I would with my real-life friends, but I have much deeper connections with my real life friends,

With that said there are people on here I would (probably) get on with if I met the in person.

[Liam-]

I have made some amazing friends on the internet over the past couple of years, not always having the pleasure to meet all of them but am still In contact with them, it's so much easier to make friends online for me, I find people irl to be too judgey, I could never have spoken to some of my real friends about things that I've told my online friends tbh

[Jessica.]

Originally Posted by LiamPRW

I could never have spoken to some of my real friends about things that I've told my online friends tbh

Yeah, same, I find it so much easier to talk about things with my online friends rather than with family or people I know in real life, it's weird, but it's always great to have that option because sometimes you just NEED to talk about things.

[Liam-]

Originally Posted by Jessica.

Yeah, same, I find it so much easier to talk about things with my online friends rather than with family or people I know in real life, it's weird, but it's always great to have that option because sometimes you just NEED to talk about things.

Exactly, I was going through some **** last year that if I went to my friends about it, they'd have probably turned it into a joke and I'd have still been no better than I was but my online friends helped me through it and have me stellar advice without judging me or making me feel bad.. Internet ftw

[LukeB]

Yes one of my best friends is from the internet

[Dollface]

My best friend is someone i've known online for over 5 years
All my real life friends ended up stabbing me in the back at some point or another, so i thought "true friends" were just a myth. Turns out true friendships are possible though, via the internet in my case
We're meeting up this November though (finally!) so she wont be an online friend for much longer

[Xtopher]

Ugh I accidentally voted the wrong option. I have many online friends and a good amount of them are best friends. I also have real life friends and the same story. I love both.

[Novo]

Well yeah i suppose Purds has been equal for years despite being a Scouse jobber

[Vanessa]

Yes, i do. met them from facebook. We meet up from time to time.

[T*]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Voted the first option because social interaction (plus the history ) is way more important, but on the other hand I probably talk to some from here about more personal things than I do with any RL friends.

[2]

[Niamh.]

I have a couple of people from here I consider friends, it's difficult to take it to the next level of friendship without having met up in person though

[Vanessa]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

I have a couple of people from here I consider friends, it's difficult to take it to the next level of friendship without having met up in person though

Same.

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by Shaun

Voted the first option because social interaction (plus the history ) is way more important, but on the other hand I probably talk to some from here about more personal things than I do with any RL friends.

Same

[Jessica.]

Lots of internet love in this thread.

[Ramsay]

I dunnnooooo

[MTVN]

Would consider people on here friends but I only really interact within the forum and don't use off-site stuff, plus the obvious never met them in person thing, so it's very different to 'real life' friends

[LukeB]

Originally Posted by MTVN

Would consider people on here friends but I only really interact within the forum and don't use off-site stuff, plus the obvious never met them in person thing, so it's very different to 'real life' friends

Depends because people can meet up if they want to and trust them

[MTVN]

Originally Posted by LukeB

Depends because people can meet up if they want to and trust them

Yeah sure but I was just talking about myself