To what extent would you let an online friend know about you.

I'm pretty much an open book when it comes to my online friends. I enjoy telling them about my actual life. I don't tell everyone everything straight off the bat and I still do prefer to get to know someone a bit better before letting information out. Everyone I come into contact with online will at least learn my name, age and location though which I don't think is bad.

As for personal information like places of study/work, address, phone number etc I'm not too fussed about, I will give them it if they require it. A friend I met online a while ago wanted to send me a postcard when she visited Italy so I gave her it. No one has ever asked for my place of study so I've never really told them and I'm fine with trading phone numbers with someone if we're genuinely friends and live in the same country.

I also think meeting someone that you met online is a great thing because you've already created a solid bond with them. I find talking to people online so much easier so if I could have done that with all of my friendships I wouldn't be the asocial nightmare I am now lmao.
 
I'm pretty open with aspects of my life, the general area where I live, my first name, what I look like. The only people who know the more specific details, my number and some really personal facts are those I've known for like, over 5 years or way more, here and on other sites. I'm pretty open casually though, but I do keep my online life separate from my real one.
 
I am mostly an open book. like someone else said above me if anything I reveal more to my online friends than my offline friends because of that distance between us -- if the info I'm telling them got out then it wouldn't be nearly as catastrophic as it would if an offline friend leaked it. it's an interesting dynamic. of course I'm wary to give addresses and shit but I think everyone is.
 
I prefer to keep my online life separate from my offline one, simply because it keeps things uncomplicated. If I don't know someone, then there's no reason to tell them anything. I'm fine with those that I'm friendly with knowing things like my name, age or whatever, but nothing too personal - it's only people that I've spoken to for a while that I'm completely open with.
 
I can be just as open to someone online as in real life... But it depends. If I know you better then I'll tell you more.
 
About as much as I'd let an IRL friend know about me. If I didn't feel comfortable with them getting to know me, I wouldn't call them friends. I think of online friends in the same regard as my IRL friends--we're just separated by some distance, is all.

But, I would say that my online friends know less about me than they would if they were IRL friends, which is just a natural consequence of us only being able to talk and interact online.
 
I tend to share whatever, as long as I know you a decent amount. I don't really think a lot of the things I say will hurt me, so I say them.

If someone I don't know asks for my age, name, or something for identity I won't tell them, though.
 
most of my online friends know my first name, but only two people know my full name. one of them isn't even my friend anymore though, lmfao.

as for pictures of myself, i don't make them public for security reasons. however, if i'm close enough to someone, i might show them some pictures so they know who they're talking to...especially if i've already seen what they look like and it's only natural i show them my face as well.

one thing's for sure, i will never disclose my phone number nor my address online.
 
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I'm kinda an open book as well I guess. The only thing I wouldn't let someone know is my fill address. Other stuff like phone number/what I look like is given to pretty much anyone I've talked to for a while.
 
I don't have much of a filter when it comes to interacting with people through forums. If I was communicating with this online friend through a headset or something a bit more humanized than I might not have the nerve to be as open as I am. It took several years of bonding on xbox live with a friend I originally met on a forum before I revealed anything too personal about myself.
 
I'm pretty open here on PC, because I have friends here who know about what I like and also the fact I am autistic since I often act like most people with the disorder tend to act online. However, I never want to show pics of myself most of the time since that's the one piece of myself I never usually feel comfortable revealing.
 
Looking at my entire life time here on PC, I've only really started personally talking to people relatively recently. I haven't showed a picture or given much personal data, even to cautious to give away my country. I don't know, I'll maybe reveal more of myself if I get closer to someone, but I tend to be really careful regarding things like these.
 
The thing is I'm open with any bruh. Be online or not. I actually consider it as a bad thing. The only thing I'd never tell online is where exactly do I live. Pretty much that.
 
If they live close enough then I may hang out with them if they seem cool. However, I'm not going to tell a stranger like my address and most of the time not my phone number or anything like that.
 
I'm willing to tell no more than 5 people (that I can think of) just about anything they could want to know.
 
I've only given one online friend my address, but I had talked to her for years before that point. So I was comfortable with that. And my phone number is only known by said online friend and PC's staff, just in case they need to get a hold of me and I'm not online.

Other than that, I drop some details about my real life while talking online. For example, everyone knows that I work in a grocery store, but not any specifics as to what company. I just really don't see the need to share that much about myself unless the need arises.
 
If I consider them a friend then I have no qualms with telling them about anything to do with me, though the usual caution we all (should) have when it comes to addresses and what not applies. I'm quite a frank person and it would silly to be as blunt and open as I am without being the same with my friends. That being said, there are some questions I'd raise an eyebrow at if they asked me about it, but I'd probably oblige.
When it comes to me telling people things, I think more about how they'll take it rather than if I'm ready to say something or whatever. I'm quite ready to talk about how I'm feeling, it's not really me 'opening up' as I'm always 'opened up', so to speak.

I think my only rule is that if you want info from me, that's a form of trust and I take trust very seriously. Be as open with me as you want me to be with you or don't bother.
 
TwilightBlade said:
I often keep to myself and take extensive time to open up to friends. I rarely share my real name or actual picture. I rarely blab about something other than puppies and candies and pizza slices. When I do open up to someone, then yeah, I trust them and enjoy socializing with them. I begin to mention details about my life or school, work, and family. I find others to confide in and share my internal thoughts with. I've shared my phone number with several members, gave my facebook to some, provided my address to two, and met one member in real life. To this day, my pair would know me best. I wish he was still around here because today is our 3 year anniversary. :-:
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HEY GUYS IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT HER REAL NAME GO TO GAVIN'S BIG FAREWELL BLOG BECAUSE HE MENTIONED ALMOST A HUNDRED PEOPLE SHE WAS ONE OF THEM AND HE CALLED HER BY HER REAL NAME THERE :P

...Okay, to be realistic, I get that that's not something she would just openly reveal. But on a separate note it'd be interesting to imagine what it'd be like if Mac/CC/whatever you want to call him was still here.
 
Just as much as I'd let an offline friend know about me, really. Otherwise, it'd be hard for me to consider them a friend. Well, potentially more than most offline because of some grey areas and loopholes.
 
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