Friendships come in various shapes and sizes. For many centuries, a friendship was defined in a traditional manner. This was the affection, trust, and companionship that two or more people developed through ongoing interaction that could only be developed through shared engagement via socializing in person. However, thanks to advances in technology, friendships can now be developed online. Cyberspace has recreated and redefined how friendships develop and are maintained. There are similarities between traditional friendships and online friendships, but also differences between online and traditional friendships that one cannot help but notice. The similarities include shared interests, and a desire to bond with one another. The primary difference that exists in online friendships is intimacy, or the quality of friendship. These ideas are explored further below.

Traditional friendships are often formed in the same way or manner in which online only friendships are. That is, people tend to form bonds based on commonalities or shared interests. People that form online only friendships tend to do so for the same reasons. For example, in traditional friendships, individuals may meet in a classroom, and become fast friends because they enjoy the same books, or after-school activities or club. On the same point, online friendships may form as individuals share the same social media fan pages, or forum interests, or similar technological interests or dramas. It isn’t difficult to form bonds over common superficial means, which tend to stimulate “feel” good feelings, making it easy for two or more individuals to like one another. Relationships are easy to form over simple superficial values.

Another reason or similarity that traditional only friendships and online only friendships share is the need for or desire for connection with others. People like to share information or engage in the “exchange of information” or what some refer to in a professional interaction; this “bonding” is for a superficial relationship purpose (Baraniuk, 2011). These friendships rarely go further than “skin deep.” Many people judge the quality of one’s friendships by the volume of one’s friendships meaning, how many friends one has online, or visibly posted on one’s social media pages. This isn’t necessarily a true estimation of one’s value (Baraniuk, 2011). However in the digital world of technology and mass media, one may certainly make a false estimation of one’s friend’s potential value based on their social media characterization. Certainly one may judge a new friend by how they appear online.

The differences in traditional only friendships vs. online only friendships are startling. Traditional friendships typically require a lot more trust and intimacy than online only friendships. In traditional friendships, individuals are required to provide face-to-face contact with one another on a regular basis. This was “traditionally” how two or more individuals met with one another, to provide feedback and information about the day or week’s events, and life circumstances (Baraniuk, 2011). During this time, two people could connect, catch up, share with one another and develop feelings that were meaningful and not hidden within the psyche or eyes of the soul. With online friendships, it is easy for a person to hide the true meaning or true self.

The computer screen easily allows an individual to develop a filter or character that often prevents people from presenting their true feelings, or from developing intimacy with one another. Online friends are often more “acquaintances” than true friendships, as people tend to discuss more superficial aspect of their life than real important details of their daily struggles (Baraniuk, 2011). This can prevent the intimacy that often develops with face to face communication. Facebook and other social media tools often cause people to become distracted with logos, picture posting and messaging so much so that people stop to actually listen to one another (Baraniuk, 2011). This can disrupt the natural flow of communication, causing a disconnect between people that is disruptive to the natural order of people.

While traditional friendships and online only friendships share many commonalities, there is also marked differences, including the lack of true intimacy between online and offline friendships. There may be value in offline friendships, but true friends require intimacy that goes beyond what one may get from onscreen relationships.