I completely agree that online friends, the kind with whom you come to exchange confidences, are real friends. The truth is, most of the IRL people we call “friends” are really just acquaintances with whom we always maintain the masks and never share anything of depth. Sometimes, those IRL folks kept at that distance are even kin.

I actually have a similar take regarding online interactions: My profile is my space just as much as is my home. The public profile posts are like my front porch; If I feel a connection to them, I’ll invite pretty much anyone to sit a spell in the rockers on my front porch. I’ll readily block someone abusive or rude online; There are some folks for whom I will not open my storm door and join them on porch. But, the folks who are “friended” are the ones whom I invite into my orbit; I don’t invite just anyone into my living room. And, if someone goes too far online, I will report them in a heartbeat, including – if deemed necessary – the Cyber Crimes unit online or my local authorities; if someone goes to far in my home, they’re out… in my yard or my neighborhood, I’ll sick the cops on ‘em before the rabbits can scatter.

(We have rabbits all over our neighborhood which scatter in every direction when someone opens their front doors. LOL)