Meeting People... Using the Internet

[visualkei]

I want to know, how do you feel about meeting people on the internet-- in real life? Not just how you feel about it, but have you ever done it before? Do you telephone people you've met through the internet, though haven't met in real life?

I think that meeting people online is really common, and becoming more... "normal." By normal, I mean that there's less stigma associated with it in the last 5 years. Thhis stigma I'm talking about is how it may be perceived as kind of... dorky. What do you guys think? Do you think there's even a stigma associated with meeting people online?

As for me, I've never met anyone in real life that I met first on the internet. Except once, which was a coincidence that we were both at the same place. I've talked to someone on the phone before, but I did it once, when I was a teenager, and it made me uncomfortable. Honestly, the idea of meeting people through the internet still makes me a little uncomfortable, though I wish I don't feel that way.

[Chronus]

Its ok I guess, Like I met one of my great friends Derald over the internet so ya it can be good sometimes :D

[Panda]

I have personally have no issues with meeting people I've met over the internet. Being an "adult" puts me in a different situtation than many younger people on the internet. All my online friends I've gone on to meet in person have pretty much all been at anime conventions and I am always with my husband or other friends. Very public places like Anime Expo.

With so many crazy people in this world you really do need to be careful of who you decide to meet and where you are going to meet them. Safety first!

[TheShinje]

[color=teal]I don't meet people over the internet, not because of any perceived dorkiness or (when younger) threat, but simply because I like the anonymity of the internet.[/color]

[font=Verdana][size=2][color=teal]It feels weird just thinking of meeting someone from the internet IRL. That's probably something I'm never going to normalise in my head.[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Verdana][size=2][color=teal][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Verdana][size=2][color=teal][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Verdana][size=2][color=teal]So no, I think I'll skip meeting online persons IRL.[/color][/size][/font]

[Desbreko]

[color=#4B0082]It always seemed to me that there was more of an, "OMG sexual predators are out to get you!" stigma associated with meeting people you know online. While taking some precautions is obviously a smart thing to do, I don't think it's as huge a risk as the media has made it out to be. Assuming you're not stupid about it, anyway.

Myself, there are only a select few people I know online who I'd actually be interested in meeting. Then there are others I wouldn't mind meeting, should things fall into place (meeting at a convention we're both going to or something like that), though I wouldn't go out of my way for it. But, all in all, I like the more impersonal nature of the internet. It lets me get along with people who, if I met them face to face, I probably wouldn't be able to stand being around for extended periods of time.

Now, I think I'll leave you all wondering what category you're in. :catgirl:[/color]

[Adahn]

[font=Tahoma]Well, I met my fiance' on the internet. On OtakuBoards, in fact. It's easy enough to verify someone's identity. A webcam, an internet connection, and a messenger program like AIM or yahoo make the identity of the person you're communicating with undeniable.[/font]

[Japan]

[COLOR=DarkRed]I've met quite a handful of online people. Some I regret and some I am happy to have met them. Like Lostprophet and then some friends from achaea, a game that I play on occasion. There may be a handful more of people I wish to meet, but as of right now I am happy just speaking to them online or on phone.

People that I do not mind not meeting, I still talk to on the phone....which is convenient sometimes.

As of my stance with it, I really see no problem however, though it really depends on the situation. [/COLOR]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkOrange]I've never met anyone i knew online, though I have wanted to many times. Once I've got my liscense I might road trip some summer and meet up with someone if I care enough. I did have a netship once involving phone talking. It didn't work out, Im bad with phones, heh. (plus, netships are bad ideas alltogether, haha)[/COLOR]

[inactive]

Well, I've always been fairly leery about the whole "meeting people you met on the internet" thing, but I don't think it's always bad. I mean, my sister met one of her really good friends over the internet (fairly recently), who just happened to live in the same city as us. Yeah, I think if you have sufficient proof of their identity, there shouldn't be much of a problem. It's not like ALL the internet-goers out there are pedophiles. I'm sure there aren't THAT many. It's just important to have good judgment, and maybe get a second opinion of their legitimacy.

Personally, I've never even really made any real internet friends... So I haven't met any. :animeswea But I wouldn't be completely opposed to doing it, one day.

[Rachmaninoff]

Meeting people I?ve met online doesn?t really appeal to me. Unless it?s in a more public setting. I don?t see a problem with it though, on some levels it?s no different than meeting other new people. I wouldn?t go off somewhere private with anyone I had just met whether it was online or in real life.

I don?t think its dorky or anything like that, but there?s no denying that it?s risky. I do know one thing I would avoid and that?s those online dating services, because where I live, even the one that is sponsored by the church, there have been problems with date rape.

Not that it doesn?t happen anyway, but it?s obvious that hiding behind a computer screen makes it easier for some of the sickos out there since once the person meets them the realize they would have never agreed to a date in the first place.

[Mythologicly]

I personally dont have any problem with the fact that people are meeting each other on the internet. I think that its cool instaed of dorky even though i haven't met anyone on the internet or talked to but some day i will.