Many of us here meet more people we develop a friendship with than we do people with whom we are romantically intersted. So, what are those red flags you use in deciding who you will develop a friendship with? Do you divulge all your personal secrets and information to someone because they are the same gender as you? Do you let your guard down with a person because you think this is just a friendship? Or do you realize that this is the internet and are more careful?

A friend to me doesn't have to be the same gender. I have several male friends. If we talk, not email, then I will tell them some things or ask opinions, but not everything. Even my bestest friend in the world doesn't know everything.

I try to keep my life to myself. I don't want a pity party on the negatives and I don't want to be the spotlight on the positives.

I have a friend at work that is, most of the time very sweet. But, if she feels like her life is not going as well as yours, she can become quite vicious and nasty. I think signs of jealousy are a major red flag. I am now very careful with what I tell her and she's someone I know in real life.

Even my bestest friend in the world doesn't know everything.

How true!

i speak more freely if theres a friendship that has built up over time and if the person is open with me

Yes, we all have our secrets and I don't think that's a bad thing.

I wonder if women have a more difficult time with their friendships than men do. I think probably so.

I had a co-worker at work that I thought was my friend. I had to drive back and forth to work 2 1/2 hours each way. So she let me stay at her house M-Th. I used her computer to play here and on FB.

When I would come home, she would log on as me even though I told the computer NOT to remember the password.

Hard lesson learned.

I'm a pretty private person and I don't share my life with the world. There's very few people I consider true friends. I can count them on one hand. I do have lots of acquaintances though.

I keep my sex life to myself(or lack therof). I keep the business of others out of my conversation as well. Other than that, no conversation is off limit with a true friend.

OUCH!

Yes, but how quickly do you determine that someone is a true friend? What are those red flags that warn you that someone may not be a true friend? Especially on the internet.

Me too.

My sex life is the only thing I really like to share. If I get none, then I complain. If I ever get it, then I will brag and brag and brag.

Yes, but how quickly do you determine that someone is a true friend? What are those red flags that warn you that someone may not be a true friend? Especially on the internet.
I would think this would be even more difficult to determine. At least when you are able to see some one face to face, I can get a feeling. Some things I just keep to myself!

Red flags that a person isn't a true friend on the internet- gossiping about others, revealing too much of their private life too fast (makes me uncomfortable), never has anything good to say about anyone else, craves drama, rude, opinionated (in a bad way), bossy, arrogant, insincere, jealous (usually with no reason), non-communicative, lies, quick to point out someone else's faults but seems to miss their own.....

I could go on and on, but you get the general idea.

Yep.

I used to think it was easier in person, but I don't anymore. I have had just as many bad experiences in both worlds.

I learned pretty early on that internet friends are just not the same as someone you actually go out and do things with. Even those friends can hurt you, but at least you can hunt them down and shout at them..... Kidding!

I used to have several (what I thought) were really really good internet friends until some hardships happened in my life and they were basically non-existent. Now I proceed with caution and rarely ever feel that true friendship feeling with someone I haven't met.

Red flags,IMO, regarding internet friends are those that when given a chance, do not take your friendship farther. For example, someone who has the opportunity to meet up with you (without too much fuss or money) and they continually come up with reasons why they cannot. That basically proves to me that the friendship is not worth much to them. As I said, that's only my opinion.