Quality of Online Social Relationships.

This study found evidence that suggests that face to face relationships are still weaker than those that are formed and maintained through online social networks. I can relate to this study because I have two brothers who have both had online gaming addictions in the past. They met "friends" online who I can only assume had similar addictions the game as my brothers because they were always on the internet when my brothers were. My brothers would call these people their friends, and one of my brothers even planned to meet up with one of the guys in LA when he was on vacation with his girlfriend. He never ended up meeting the guy and has never spoke of these people again because he no longer plays the game. When he was online these "online friendships" seemed important and valid because they were constantly instant messaging each other with game cheats, hints, etc. He has friends that he has met from school that play the game as well and they have stayed in contact. The study did state that this evidence did not conclude that online social relationships were not valued. I can relate to this as well because there are a few friends I made back when I was 21 years old I created a myspace for the first time. I added a few of these people depending on if I felt that their profile displayed common interests to myself. I actually ended up meeting my girlfriend who I have been with for over four years now on myspace. In the beginning we would message each other a lot through our myspace pages, but then it quickly lead to us texting, talking on the phone, and then eventually getting dinner together. I am now quite grateful for online social networks like myspace because I really did meet an amazing person that I am very connected with in my life now. The funny thing is now I do not use any online social networks aside from FB for school. As far as my relationship goes we now live together so we obviously don't have to use the Internet anymore to communicate. I don't think our relationship is of any less value or quality than if I were to have met her at work or at the gym.