Are internet relationships good or are they to be avoided? I wish I had an answer. Probably this question lurks in the minds of all people who indulge in them. I can safely say that the answer lies somewhere in between these extreme positions. Such relationships can be used effectively to one’s advantage if proper discretion is exercised. They can also result in unfavourable, unenviable and dangerous situations to unknowing users, who do not exercise proper care.
What is good?
Internet relationships, if properly used have many benefits like
- One can make good friends with whom a close and lasting relationship can be developed. However, care should be taken not to reveal too much about oneself before checking whether the other person is genuine and is talking the truth about himself. The genuineness or otherwise of the person is revealed if the relationship is built up step by step. This means the user should converse or chat with the person over a period of time and look for suspicious statements or unnecessary haste on the other person’s part to know more about you before he shares information about himself
- Chats on specific subjects like sports, entertainment and business are usually harmless
- Sometimes one meets interesting people on the net who are very knowledgeable and are willing to share and teach. One should encourage such relationships
One common practice by people is to lie about their age. The only way out is to question them and try to trap them by asking them questions so that they falter at some point.
What is to be avoided?
- Keep clear of people who are aggressive and ask you a lot of questions that they need not know
- Avoid giving your telephone number and other details till you trust the person
- If you are a lady you can immediately sense when the conversation is crossing its limits. In such cases tell the other person clearly and firmly to avoid contacting you. If he persists, IGNORE him
- Choose your usernames and email address carefully . They should not include personal details like age, birthday , gender etc.
- Be even more careful with your webcam. Only use it with people you know offline, and make sure you turn it off when you're done.
Finally, remember that your net community is a virtual world and not reality till you develop real friendships. With proper care, virtual friends can become real friends.
