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What are the pros and cons of making friends online?

302 Answers
Last Updated: 06/19/2022 at 6:34pm
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United States
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Lisa Groesz, PhD

Psychologist

With evidenced based therapies, we find the root of the problem together to implement solutions. We all face crises, transitions, or disorders at some time.

Top Rated Answers
PeacefulOnes
December 1st, 2019 10:57pm
I think it has a fair amount to do with how social you are. For example, if you have a lack of friends outside the internet, talking to others online could be a way to build some bonds that are useful to you. You can bond over several different things, but it could be a hobby that you both share passionately. Another pro is that people generally tend to be more open and honest online because it's usually easier to share things when sitting in front of a screen as opposed to talking to someone in person. If you have a lot of things on your mind, then reaching out to someone you value online could be a great way to vent instead of letting it build up and subsequently cloud your mind. A person who is more skilled socially could just maintain a few online friendships as a complimentary value to the friends he/she already has. The cons are that it can be a challenge to maintain a friendship to someone online because you don't interact with each other face to face. If the other person is a poor communicator, that could lead to you carrying the burden when it comes to initiating conversations and so on. If the person continues to be distant, that could cause some personal anxiety. You will most likely ask yourself why they're acting the way they are, if you did something wrong, if they're keeping a secret from you and so on. I would say that thought patterns of this kind are highly toxic. If some of your worries turn out to be truthful, that could serve some serious blows to your self esteem, and it can even lead to episodes of depression in the end. Even if your worries turn out to be the result of overthinking, some damage has most likely still been done since those thoughts have been floating around in your head, and it might give you a reason to doubt your own rationality, and thus also your own self esteem.
WendinCaring
December 29th, 2019 6:19pm
I have been using the internet to make friends since I was a teenager. From my experience, I would say the internet is a good tool for people who are not comfortable having face-to-face interaction with others. The internet helps you connect with others who are not in your proximity. Online you can find people who share the same interests with you easily. When you are making friends online, you tend to build a tribe of the like-minded easily. You can get the support you need for your life or a good cause with months or even days. But the downside is...most people tend not to be 100% transparent about themselves. The internet is a wild wide west as some people would like to put it. There are always preferably differences. If you end up trusting the wrong kind, bad consequences will ooze out from the cyber world into the real life. Thank to the ubiquitous social media and more advanced technology than the previous decades, certain unforeseeable negative impacts would cause more damages than you think. However, I would say making friends online and offline will have similar pros and cons. Self care is always the key to the success of any human interactions.
EmilyIsALlamaAgain
January 1st, 2020 7:57pm
There are several pros when it comes to befriending online strangers. You may find it difficult to become friends with people you know and see every day. However, talking to someone online can be a great way to strengthen your social skills. You are also able to hear and learn about the vast variety of cultures and people around our amazing Earth! You can see what it is like in a country you’ve never been to, a city you’ve never heard of, etc. Making new connections with new people is exciting, yet can be dangerous. It is important to remain safe online. The risk of danger is not the only con of making friends online. For example, let’s say you meet someone and the two of you are extremely close. However, they live in a different state, country, or maybe on a different continent. Meeting up and seeing each other is definitely a difficult thing to accomplish. Things like different time zones also come into play and can make befriending someone a hard task. While meeting new people online is definitely exciting, it also comes with its own hardships, just like an irl connection. The best tip I could give is to stay cautious and just have fun. Enjoy the conversations you can encounter and who knows where you’ll be?
BluSky123
February 16th, 2020 10:11pm
Friends online can provide a source of emotional support and trust with someone that you otherwise would have never met. The internet gives you access to hundreds of thousands of people, making it significantly easier to find someone who clicks with you. Making friends online is easy and simple, without the hassles of going out or feeling nervous. In the worst case scenario, you can just "block" that person and never speak to them again, as there is no danger if you decide to not talk to them. However, making friends online has disadvantages as well. You may not know for sure who you are really talking to, unless you have video-chatted or alternative means of verification. You will also miss out on many bonding moments with these friends (for example: bowling with friends, joking around with a group of buddies) Although making friends online has some limits and disadvantages, the internet is still a great way to find meet many great people.
Anonymous
March 28th, 2020 4:17pm
Making friends online has many pros as well as cons . While chatting online and especially on dating apps or social media you tend to talk to someone with shared intrest , this maybe a wonderfull person that you would have never met in real life beacause of time and space circumstances. Nevertheless, sometimes meeting new people online may be tricky you might be talking to a catfish or to someone that has ill manners while dealing with people in real life and whe you meet you may find it hard to break up a friendship you spent time to build online. For you to decide wether you want to make friends online you have to consider the pros and cons and then decide.
Sugarlife24
April 3rd, 2020 7:12pm
In today's electronic world were connecting to people is damn easy we forget or real on earth Relationships. Being in online world we can talk to anyone whether known or extrimly unknown person. Making friends online is sometimes very interesting and helpful. You find someone which really of your type and can better understand you as you really expect. Sometime making online friend went wrong. You can be in interactipn with someone fake behind that online name. You may lead your self to worst situation if you start to trust these people blindly. For me beauty is in both making friend online or in really life but for that you must have maturety to know that person in best way.
CaringHeart9177
April 17th, 2020 9:21pm
Pros: It is nice having people to talk to! Connections with others are so important, and having so much technology helps make those connections with people all over the world! It can also help if you suffer from social anxiety at all! It allows you to get to know the person first before you meet! Cons: I can't give them a hug! It is hard not being able to physically see a friend, but that doesn't mean that you can't ever see them! You can plan out a fun trip to visit them, or there are tons of other ways to connect!
Anonymous
April 18th, 2020 6:18pm
Focusing on the cons, just to get them out of the way, is they can possibly be fake and just some random creeps trying to harass people. Making friends online can sometimes distract you from your other life off of technology. As long as you’re careful and manage well, having online friends can also be great! When you talk to someone online they don’t usually know you personally. That means they usually don’t know if anything personal or embarrassing about you. When you have online friends it also means you can talk to them even if one of you is sick or as we are experiencing right now self-quarantine. It’s important to continue talking to others, specially when the people you live with irritate you and make things difficult. I know myself that being around the same people 24/7 is very difficult. So keep connecting with others and stay safe!
luxvision
April 19th, 2020 9:27am
The online has made meeting new people who share your interests so much easier! However, making friends online is still a controversial topic. Some people think that online friendships are a great thing, while others are convinced that they are not real at all. The truth lies somewhere in between. Based on personal experience, The Internet has allowed me to meet people from across the globe and learn about their culture, provided me supportive education to grow and to share in others feelings i.e joining 7 cups of tea supportive trained listeners community. But i can not meet most of my online friends for some reasons
1egendsNeverDie
April 20th, 2020 8:17pm
The pros of making friends online is that you have someone to talk to that doesn't know you completely so they can't necessarily judge you. Another pro would be that they could be from a different country. How cool is that!? Also, when making friends online, it could be easier to find support than in real life. They can be there for you. The cons of making friends online is that people aren't always who they say they are. There isn't usually proof. Also, they aren't always there for you. You don't truly know them and so that could be dangerous. They could take advantage of you. You also don't have real social interaction. It takes away from actually talking face to face.
blissart
April 22nd, 2020 10:39am
Pros 1) you can meet new people from the comfort of your place and time 2) Online friendship comes with less strings attached 3) you can have almost someone available for you at any in any timezone 4) you dont have to fear rejection that one fears during initial stages of meeting new people 5) you can be in much control as your friends are not visiting you in person 6) you dont have to worry about social and family approval of your friends Cons 1) you never are fully sure of their identities 2) you cant feel that comfort of physical presence one needs 3) online friendships can be riskier too 4) it tends to make u more socially withdrawn
Espirit203
April 24th, 2020 4:09am
There are many positives and negatives for making friends online, it all depends on your personal experience and what you want out of that friendship. Positives: - Can make friends who live far away, remotely or even in other countries - Is convenient for shy or more introvert natured people - Can be easier to handle friendships via the internet Negatives: - May not be able to meet that person due to various constraints such as location - It is hard to develop a friendship beyond a certain point without human interaction - Things can be easily misread online or taken out of context. As long as you and your online friend are clear about how you communicate, having friends online can be a great experience.
Anonymous
April 26th, 2020 3:59am
The pros of making friends online is that you can get to know someone first. You can video chat,call, or message someone and learn a little bit about them before you ever decide to meet in person. Making friends online can be very helpful if you're an introverted person and don't really like to go out alot. The cons of making friends online are that you don't always know who you are talking to. Some people lie about their age or gender and it can be really confusing or even scary when you meet in person. You can't always trust the people you meet online for those reasons
Anonymous
May 7th, 2020 1:08pm
The good things are it is a good way of making new friends if you find it difficult to do so . Some people find it beneficial chatting to someone online who won't judge them as opposed to family and friends in real life this website if you use seven cups allows people to do that in a safe manner and a lot of people find that helpful and therapeutic. Cons is you don't know if the person is who they say they are you just have to make that judgement for yourself which can be tough.
Anonymous
June 2nd, 2020 9:55pm
Making friends online can be a wonderful way to connect with people across the country, or even world. You can find people with similar interests and experiences and connect with them in a way you may not be able to connect with anybody currently in your life. Of course, with the certain level of anonymity that the internet has, you can only know so much about the people or person that you chat with. There is always the danger of online predators and other cyber safety threats. Meeting people online can also inhibit you from meeting them in person. Online friends can be a great source of socialisation and support, but one must always be wary of the dangers that can come with it.
Anonymous
June 3rd, 2020 8:05pm
The pros are found in anonymity, it can be freeing to be anonymous. It allows free expression of your most pressing thoughts and feelings. For people without a large social network, or no network, online friendships help reduce loneliness and feelings of isolation. The major con is that anonymity also means not truly knowing who you are talking to. It’s unfortunate in this day and age that not everyone is honest about who they are, they may be feeling afraid to be themselves online or some are, sadly, predators. There is also a lack of human connection in not being able to read body language or hear tone, conversation can be ambiguous and lead to misunderstanding. For some, the pros outweigh the cons and find meaningful friendships.
Asher
June 4th, 2020 12:10am
Some of the pros of making friends online is that it allows the people you meet to show what they want too you. So this allows you and them to show the best parts of them and also not be judge sometimes. It also has been helpful when people don't have the self confidence they do in real life from looks which allows them to be someone there not. In my experience i have done that and was able to find a partner from it. The downside of all of this is the fact that you might get people that might use you but that not the case for everyone.
iwillhelpyou32
June 4th, 2020 5:39pm
There are many Pros and Cons of making "friends" online. Let's start with the Pros - This will eventually help increase your ability to talk and converse in a face to face environment. - You will broaden your horizon in the world. When making friends on an online platform, you can connect with anyone around the globe. You can learn about their environment or political atmosphere. - You will always have a friend. You have several options when it comes to gaining friends. There is an unlimited amount of individuals you can connect to. Cons - Miss information or identification is a significant problem when befriending someone on a social media platform. I'm sure most of you have heard of the famous MTV show "Catfish." The circumstance this show is based around can very well be the situation you get into be very careful about putting trust into someone. - Always be vigilant when it applies to scam. You have to realize that there is a vast amount of people who get on social media platforms to scam you. Make sure you don't give out any personal information. I hope this helps you in figuring out the best way to make friends online. A good app that I use is Yubo.
Anonymous
June 10th, 2020 1:12pm
I find it amazing to get connected with people from worldwide. We can expand our contacts, we can learn more about them, we also get excited to make new friends whome we have never met in real life. However, that just means, it is possible that the "friend" we were making was not a good friend or it could be a scam. People tend to use online site as an opportunity for them to assault or harrass people without getting caught. There for, I believe that making friends online, have their own great values but also is dangerous if we do not take the right actions if were treated so.
Anonymous
June 10th, 2020 10:39pm
Pros of making friends online : 1. you feel connected to someone 2. it helps boost self esteem in long run 3. you get to know yourself cons : there is big issue of availabiblity as access to them is not possible at times , when they are busy , ror there internet is not working or they didnt have seen your message , or havent logged in , you cant get out with them because they are far , but all in all , it is better to have one online friend that listens to you , that makes you feel supported than having many friends and stil feeling alone or not having one as well !
Anonymous
June 18th, 2020 2:59am
Some pros of making friends online is experiencing the diversity in the world. One can become aware of other lifestyles and cultures of different people around the world. These friendships are dependent not on looks but rather on personality. Online friends are made through connecting through similar interests and can be talked to any time of the day. Friends online serve as escapes from reality and maybe even a safe haven for the person. However, one cannot meet their online friends in person. These friends may be lying about their actual identity or peer pressure the person into performing dangerous acts.
Anonymous
June 19th, 2020 8:23pm
Pros: usually nonjudgmental and friendly and open and for people with social anxiety, there's no pressure to meet in person or talk on the phone and instead it's all messaging. Online friends can come from lots of different backgrounds and ethnicities and getting to know people of new and various cultures can a a great experience. The cons: it can be dangerous and a huge risk to meet random strangers online. You don't know them or anything about them at first and they can potentially hurt you or use your information against you. It's important to stay safe online and be sure you trust them a million percent before giving them any information. And on cups, don't give information even if you trust them a million percent
loveAndsupport09
July 17th, 2020 4:30am
Some prose are that you meet new people and hat they don't know you so hey cannot judge you. A con may be tha you don't really know who is behind the screen so telling them personal info may not be safe. Another con may be that they could really be a dangerous person trying to hurt you. Always be safe on the internet because you never know what lurks behind a screen. If you are on the interne and you feel unsafe you should always tell a person you trust. Never share anything wih anyone you don't know. Be safe
gisele24
July 24th, 2020 8:48pm
Making friends online allow us to meet new people around the world who can relate to us and we can talk about anything with. Those who feel lonely and are not comfortable with making friends in real life can have a chance of meeting new people by doing so online. Getting to know people online can help you build confidence and learn about others lives, what they go through and they can learn about yours as well. Online friends help each other out and sometimes you could find someone to relate to better online than in person! There are so many people in this world we should take advantage of the internet and meet amazing people online.
Solome24
July 30th, 2020 1:52am
The pros of making friends online are especially meaningful to someone like me, who is an introvert and doesn't have many friends in general. I think having friends online can be just as beneficial as ones offline, it's just lacking in the in-person social aspect. I've interacted with people in forums outside of 7 Cups, and they have made a huge difference in my life, even though I never met them. They have guided me through rough times and given great advice to me. The cons are that the friendships are limited to just talking online, and you also have to be careful who you talk to, as there are plenty of scammers online.
Anonymous
July 31st, 2020 4:11pm
You can meet different kinds of people online by helping out others and I always like to make friends. Also, this is also a way for me to walk out of my comfort zone and meet people in different kinds of fields and areas. The cons are that not all the people you meet will be friends of your own, this is like in our life. And sometimes I might blam my self not for being there all the time because I know supportive is the most powerful thing when someone is facing challenges. So, having people go along with you is always helpful.
Anonymous
August 2nd, 2020 9:46pm
Pros: you can talk without pressure to worry about your facial expressions, vocal tone, appearance, location, or time zone. Online friends was my first practice of learning how to meet new people. I grew feeling intimidated to even order my own food at a restaurant or ask for help at a store. Making online friends took away the pressure of having make myself "yell" because I was so quiet it was hard to hear me. I could meet as many people as I wanted, easily end the conversation if it started making my uncomfortable, and connect with people from anywhere! I have a few online friends that have stayed connected for over 10 years. Cons: Anyone can be anyone, it's hard to be certain of who you're talking to. Socializing online is different from in person - conversations go faster in person, the skills don't completely transfer. It can encourage irregular sleep schedules, due to the timeless feeling of the internet and blue light.
persephoneMoon
August 12th, 2020 2:59am
I think the cons are you could potentially make really good connections with people who you can never meet in person. Face to face interaction is definitely different than chatting online (whether by video call or text chat) so if you want to meet someone and build an in-person connection that may not be an option. And the pros are you are able to build relationships with people you probably never would have met otherwise. It means you can make connections with people who have similar experiences and things like looks or social perceptions are less likely to get in the way! It also makes it easier to be vulnerable with new people because the interactions feel more casual.
animalPurple7651
August 21st, 2020 3:27am
Online as a platform of connecting that’s the truth that everybody can see no friends is a need for every single human in this world Friends Mix joy they reflect your emotions they tell the truth for your future whenever wherever it is and what ever is the platform is you have to get a friends sometimes they help financially as well people with bigger community find themselves happierAnd they live longer lives with better health that’s a truth it’s scientific truth Cons is when anonymous friendship goes to Ginger hatred because of the freedom that we have an online and the Bility of live anonymously
Gkow
August 22nd, 2020 6:50pm
I build a lot of friendships via online with other People, either through chat applications or in game. And I feel good for making friends online. The pros I really feel is that I feel a little bit needed. I am not really confident to talk face to face. I feel supported by my online friends and learn to respect each other. Having online friends isn't always good. Some of them, they may look good but I can't really know the real person. I don't know maybe he/she is using me for negative things. And because of that I feel insecure in making friends random via online. But after all make friends via online is nice :)