Befriending someone you don’t know on a social media website is really not that hard. A mere click of that “request” button will have someone else scrolling through your profile and snooping through your pictures, trying to figure out if you are someone that they want to be friends with. But the question of whether or not such strictly online friendships are a good thing, is still under debate.

As many people were probably warned by their mothers when they created their Facebook profile, putting your information online can be dangerous. Offering details of your life to people you never met seems to have some inherent risk to it, so why do people seek out and find great value in these completely online relationships?

Part of it might be the idea that you don’t have to give out your real information. A fake profile is easy to make on any website, and with a fake profile, you can be anyone you can dream up or maybe someone you dream you were. You can connect with people who you usually wouldn’t approach in your daily life or find people who have the same obscure interests you do.

But is there something missing in the relationship when it is only online? Many people cherish the real time they get to spend with their friends, not just the time texting or snap chatting with one another, but the time when they can all hang around and watch a movie or go out to eat. Missing out on these interactive parts of a relationship can often leave a person wanting more.

At the same time though, there are those who think spending an evening on their computer causally chatting with a stranger is much more exciting and fun than any movie with a group of friends.

Online relationships can be difficult. It can be hard to know what kind of information to put out there and what kind of person you’re giving that information too. Luckily, there are many resources when it comes to being safe online and just using a little common sense can help to keep online relationships safe and healthy.