can ya really fall in love with someone online ?

[pennybel]

There's risks on and off line! In real life people dont walk round with "i'm desperate" placards round their necks but on line seen people bear their souls therefore becoming targets for the unscrupulous nutters who prey on such people.That's the difference!

It's true real people don't walk around with "I'm desperate" placard around there neck, but some don't have to it's obvious they are.
It's easier to lie about yourself online I'm retired a bit over weight and 62. Online if I wished I could be 30 slim and an oil executive. Personally I can't see the point.
You are right that desperate people can be preyed on far easier that other, and there's always plenty of people online to oblige

I think cos a lot of people prefer to do one to one conversation when they get closer to people (online) they tend not to realise if that person is a huge flirt, or winds up people, or is just a nice person who is nice to everyone. It's like stuff becomes isolated and seems more intense. And you don't rely on bodylanguage (unless it's on cam), and you only read the comments as you read them, so any joking tones or sarcasm, or angryness you'd heard in their voice, or smiles at stuff, or embarrassment, you wouldn't see all that. You can end up taking comments the wrong way, and reading too much into little things.

Let's face it, friends probably don't say *oh, I like so and so* every month, but people feel the need to do it online because there would prob be no other way to let them know. Guys asking what you look like online, and asl and all that make you realise just how much physical appearances matter to them- they would have already decided if they fancied you as soon as look at you(in person)

All those things to make up for real life just shows how easy lying is online.