Do you feel like friends from online that have never been met in person are "real" friends?

[Flower7]

I've been wondering whether someone who only has friends online but not in their real life actually has friends or not?

Yes, they count as real friends.

No, they do not count as real friends.

[_no_one_]

Friendship wether it is real or online are pretty same now cuz you'll be mostly doing the same things in both like texting, sharing memes and sometimes even call and stuff with irl meets being the only difference.

[Flower7]

Very true, I feel the same way.

[Interstate]

Not really. There was somebody on here I was messaging back and forth with, then just recently she up and quit responding. I'm glad I didn't feel too seriously about a friendship with her 😌

[Flower7]

True, ghosting does happen a lot when things are gone online.

[Flower7]

done online*

[Interstate]

Well I unfollowed them. I feel if they aren't going to respond to a simple, "how are you?", they aren't worth having their posts appear on my main feed.

[Flower7]

Good decision.

[Interstate]

👍...

[Bricealan]

I had a VERY SPECIAL women friend, (I thought at the time, but later had some doubts) I knew her on line for a long time (3 or 4 years) and we had cyber sex several time, with her never showing her pussy, to me, but that was okay at the time.

She sent pictures of her home, her property, talked bout her husband and what he did, she recommended garden equipment, talked about her car, her golfing game, her other cyber sex men friends, etc.

One day, she said 'goodbye' on line and I never heard a word from her. Very sad for me because it was a long term 'friendship" for those several years and all that shared information.

[Flower7]

Did she give you a reason for saying "goodbye"?

[Bricealan]

No, never heard another word from her. She also had a teen daughter and maybe she had to spend more time with her after school etc. Her marriage did not sound like it was really solid at the time, but who knows? It was interesting for quite a while, but nothing is forever.

[Flower7]

It seems so odd for someone to just randomly send a message saying "goodbye" and then disappear.

[Bricealan]

Well, let me qualify, it a bit. She was not quite that abrupt, she did make a reference to 'always sharing her spoon with me", but I can't exactly recall the reference, but I thought she must have had some thoughts about me or she would not have said about 'sharing"

[Flower7]

Ok I see. Well it was nicer for her to do that instead of just ghosting you.

[ArrowheadSW]

Actually I do think they can count as real friends, as long as one doesn't take it too seriously. But, I highly disagree with people when they say that they have a "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" when they have not met the person face to face yet. That's a bit too high of a level when you have not met face to face. Like saying that they are "dating" someone but haven't met. LOL...

[Flower7]

I agree that friendship and being in a relationship are two very different things when being done online!

[ArrowheadSW]

I met a lady online 24 or 25 years ago when the internet was very new. I only met her once, and that was in 2002 when she happened to be in the city where I live. We've been in touch most of the time I've known her and in fact I just talked to her on the phone this evening. But yeah, we don't consider ourselves to be anything more than friends... LOL

[Flower7]

That's a very long time to stay friends with someone! And very rare also. Especially since it originated online.

[ArrowheadSW]

There was another one who I met online around the same time, and I never met her face to face, and we were in almost constant touch for about 12 years. I recently re-connected with her. It was much easier meeting online back in those days for some reason. I think the dating apps ruined it. It was easier before the apps. I know that sounds the opposite of what one would expect.

[Flower7]

I actually agree with that. I met some great people on Yahoo Messenger and in chat rooms.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

I'm not sure, I've never placed trust in an online friend
in case they leave me hanging, I've had it happen to me in
it was August of 2011 I last spoke to this so-called online
friend she claimed her mother had cancer but would get
better she had my email and I had hers since that day we
never spoke so you figure

[LaFerrari]

Yes, I have met 3 people on here that I consider real friends.

[Flower7]

I have a few from this site also!

[LaFerrari]

That’s awesome! 😎

[Wiredone]

A friend is a friend. It doesn't matter if you met them in person or not.

[Flower7]

That's a good way to think about it!

[Paris13]

The of Course CAN Count as Real Friends. It depends how Intense you Wish to Be. xxoo

[krin_m]

I have a few online friends from different countries and they are real friends. I have talked to all of them over Skype or phone..

[Flower7]

Talking through Skype or phone definitely adds a lot more to the friendship. It makes it much more personal than just chatting online.

[krin_m]

True. Also we talked only after we had developed some level of friendship online.

[NathanDavis]

very much so, yes... I even went to his wedding, virtually... lmao

[exitseven]

I am surprised to say that yes, you can develop real friendships on line.

[Slim57]

Yeah my online friends have done things for me that even in person friends have not

[Flower7]

I agree... many of my online friends are more loyal than people I know in real life.

[Caliguy88]

Yeah, I do. I’ve enjoyed getting to know a couple people on here.

[Starman5]

No, they do not count as real friends.

[Flower7]

Why do you feel like they don't count?

[Starman5]

Because they do not know each other closely, friendships in the virtual environment cannot be like a real friendship.

[Sampan2017]

They're real till you maintain the relationship

[Flower7]

True, they do have to be maintained!

[Sam_The_Savage]

Nope 100% wrong

[Flower7]

Why do you feel like they don't count?

[Gwenhwyfar]

Yes.

[ToastyOats]

No way.