· Have you made friendships that exist exclusively in cyberspace? If so, how are they different from f2f relationships? If you have not formed cyber relationships, why not?
I have never been one of those people to go into chat rooms online in order to meet people and I am also not the kind of girl that likes to go out to the clubs and start dancing with perfect strangers. I was brought up on to many law and order and criminal minds episodes to take the risk of talking to someone I have never met. I remember when I got my first sn and I was so excited to be able to talk to my friends on the computer. My parents were so paranoid that some rapist would find me and kidnap me.
I have a facebook which I use daily but it is set up to be very private. Only my friends can view my full profile and also my pictures. I never give information like where I work or live because I don't want the wrong people finding out. I also don't just add anyone as my friend on facebook that I don't know or have not met in person. My thinking is it is not safe for a 21 year old women to be accepting friend requests from strange men she has never met. I guess you can call me paranoid and I am, but my motto is I would rather be safe then sorry.
The one exception to my strict safety rules I have made in the past, was this last summer. I studied with Duke University in London. I didn't know a soul attending this program so we set up a facebook group for everyone who was going on the London trip, so that way we could get to know each other. There was one specific girl named MaryEileen who I started chatting online with frequently because she was also from CA. It was really nice when I arrived in London and felt like I already had a friend. She is also the person I keep in regular contact with since the trip, and maybe this wouldn't have happened if we hadn't started chatting online before we met.
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Hi Reese! You had mentioned that you made a friend named MaryEileen while preparing to go to London to study. What was your experience like while chatting with her? When you met her was she the same or different than you had expected? Would you chat online to get to know people in this type of situation if given the chance?
I too have not made friends in cyberspace because of the security issue and safety. I have resisted creating a facebook or myspace page because I am a very private person and don't like any information floating around who knows where. I also don't have the time to be on my computer all day chatting with people. I have so many friends who sit at work all day IMing each other and posting on each others pages. That is great that you were able to create a friendship with someone before you went to London. Maybe that experience has allowed you to open up to more friendships online?
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