Is it normal for girls to have an online boyfriend who they never met?

Based on my personal experience
Online dating lasts longer. It's easier to
Express how you feel, and be less
Nervous. The meeting thing is a bit
Scary.

I dated a guy for a whole year online. I heard his voice, he heard mine and that gave us some sort of intimacy with each other at least. I certainly wasn't desperate or craving attention considering the last thing I want having social anxiety is attention.

So I did love him and I believe it was real. You can always believe otherwise but you weren't and aren't me.

I can't speak for others (though I suspect they'd feel similarly) but I think that what causes that immediate averse reaction in most people is concern with the abstraction of human relations - that the metaphysical nature of an online relationship is a rude falsification of "real" human interaction. If this is true, then it must follow that ALL human interaction is necessarily an abstraction, for the following reasons.

Someone rather primitively suggested below that you can't "really know" your partner in an internet relationship. But how can you "really know" anyone? When is this ever true of a relationship? What does that even mean? If what you're looking for is 100% familiarity with another human being, then you will be sorely disappointed with life, I promise you.

It is logically impossible to fully convey your internal thoughts and emotions because all communication can only reach a flawed approximation of those thoughts and emotions. Whether it's language, art, math, or facial expressions, all of these things are inevitably only a rough translation of what you mean and who you are. So if you're arguing that an internet relationship doesn't allow for full communication and is thus inadequate, it follows that ALL relationships don't allow for full communication and are thus inadequate. But this is a "fruitless truth" to me. That it is impossible to "know" someone 100% does not make 99% or 1% any less valid.

As for con artists? Not only are they incredibly rare horror stories, but a determined con artist will use any means to achieve what they want. People take advantage of each other in physical relationships too. Is that any reason to dismiss all relationships?

Every time I see something about online relationships I can't help but think of my ex-mother in law. She carried on at least 2 serious long term relationships with young guys lying the whole time. She was in her late 40's the guys were 19 and 20. She sent pics of her niece, she talked on the phone with them, they sent her gifts. They were so in love. One of the relationships went on for over 2 years and was finally ended when he almost showed up at her door step. The men never knew they were talking to an almost 50 year old married woman with children the same age as them.
It is way too easy to lie to people online. You never REALLY know who you are talking to on the other side of that screen. No matter how well you "know" them.

It's perhaps time we updated our idea of what a relationship is. The world has changed a lot in the space of a generation. I take for granted that I can write these words and that they can be read by people all over the world. The chances are that you, reading this, are in a different country than I am. It didn't always used to be like this.

People are naturally social. We seek each other out. Before technology, we organised gatherings. Then there was CB radio, telephone chatlines, bulletin boards, and then the internet. People used all in a social capacity.

When does a relationship become a relationship? When people commit to each other? When they touch? If a husband and wife are having phone sex while she is working abroad, are they no longer in a relationship?

Most of the people using this site know who I am, know what my personality is like, know things about me. Some like me. Some dislike me. Are their feelings of like and dislike real? I'd say so. What if the feelings were stronger? Love or hate. Are they still real? You'd have to argue that they are. If it's possible to love someone you've never met, surely it's possible to be in a relationship with them.

It may be unconventional, but the world has changed. I think your friends are getting mad because, to them, they know their feelings are real, but you're denying them that. You may not say it to their face but you imply here that it's creepy, they're desperate, or they're attention seekers. Who wouldn't get mad at that? They're just looking for happiness. Aren't we all?

Met my wife online and we started dating (bc of her hinted requests) before we had met.

I have the same look on it as you do I have done it once but I just ended up feeling like a loser - plus. Cybering can only go so far the real thing is WAY better. These people probobly have self esteem issues and its best to see it through.

the problem they will find with online-only boyriends is that... while they may think they love that person.... they don't really know them.

When you talk online with someone you control what that other person sees of you... so they never really meet the true you, just what you want them to see.

and of course sometimes what they aren't telling you is more important than what they do tell you...

for example I read an article once about a woman who fell in love with a man online and chose to marry him... even accepting that (because the man had AIDS) she could never make love to him.... Her husband turned out to be... a talented con-artist WOMAN who only wanted access to her bank account.

now sure, that may be an extreme case but... you do have to be careful. your online boyfriend or girlfriend may seem fun but... what secrets are they hiding from you?

bad financial history? criminal history? sex offender status....

what are you REALLY getting from the relationship? I mean other than kinky cyber chats? And if you really think *that* is better than the real thing... o boy.... O_o

Now you can call me old fashioned, but I don't see any real love there. Love is between two humans no computer on the middle, how do they have sex and have children

I sort of ride the fence with this topic. The world is rapidly changing and traditional ideas of what a relationship should be don't apply in the same ways now that we have different means of interacting, like the internet and texts and webcams and whatnot.

I feel that a "relationship" can be developed online and there can be a great deal of depth and richness to it. From a psychological standpoint, people often do feel a lot more comfortable revealing intimate details about themselves when protected by the distance that the internet provides. Look at this website, it's a perfect example.

By the same logic, it IS easier to hide certain things about ourselves online, and you DO end up with con-artists, liars, and even relatively innocent people living out some fantasy by being someone else online.

Genuinely enriching and fulfilling relationships in my personal opinion are healthiest when they involve touch and physical intimacy. We are evolutionarily designed to react to tactile sensation. We read body language, we hear things in the tone of people's voices. That being said, I do not think meeting face to face is necessary to develop extremely strong feelings for someone.

I've heard plenty of "success stories" and I've heard plenty of "horror stories" from people that have had relationships online. I myself had a relationship with someone online that involved regular webcam use and voice chat. I felt very connected with the person, because I tend to glean a HUGE amount of information from people through body language, facial expressions, and tonality - and I was able to. We DID exchange "I love you's" and I believe that there was definitely a feeling of "love" that truly existed... but when I finally got on a plane to go visit him for 10 days, being together in person was infinitely better. There was so much more to what we could share and I honestly don't believe I could have carried on the relationship without it for very long.

Of course, the second time I went to visit I moved in with him over in The Netherlands things were much different there - and he turned out to be kind of a dick, and I still struggle with some of the verbal abuse I received and was also taken advantage of financially. So... it's not just online that we "put on a face" for the people we're interested in.

I think any relationship has a lot of factors, a lot of risks, and (HOPEFULLY!) a great deal many more rewards.

Ahh high school girls LOL

I downloaded my last gf but the RIAA sued me. J/K

I have an online girlfriend currently and it's not like I was looking but we just stumbled onto eachother and we talk on the phone and whatsapp everyday.. We'll meet someday but right now I am totally in love with her..
If I meet a person who accepts me fot who I am then why shouldn't I love them or vice versa?

I met my boyfriend online by the way and the site was King.com lmao... He is the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Well to answer your question, yes it's normal for girls to have online boyfriends if you're a teenager... but as you get older sure it's fine to meet them online and start a relationship but then sooner or later it may be a good idea to meet eachother in person... that's the whole point of having a relationship otherwise what's the point of being with someone (through the internet) if you've never even met them in real life! :)

The girl who I'm with now I met online when I was 14 we've been together for 5 years now and it's amazing. The only stable relationship I've ever been in. We've met and we still meet up really often (weekly) to hang out or cuddle whatever. Our love was real and still is. Always remember behind that username or avatar on the game you're on is a real person with real fealings

i actually lost my v-card to an online girlfriend, we talked for about a year online/on the phone then we decided to meet up and things happened. almost got her prego to but luckily i didn't so yeah it's normal at least to me. do what you think will make you happy.

I agree with all answers here especially dappled's modern definition.

But just like DefinitelyNotNormal89, I have never actually done this.
Actually I did sign up to one of those (so called) free online dating agencies, and just being me, I really couldn't get into it.
I mean I had the replies (I feel likely from the online site owners themselves) But it just felt cold and not real, so sadly I left that idea. I like physical connection myself, but physically (hugs kisses etc) not via pics on the internet.

So obviously I remain single :(

I have absolutely no problem with online dating but personally it's not for me. I couldn't do it, I have never tried and I couldn't see myself doing it in the future, but we're all different.
Same as I couldn't have a long distance relationship, I love the intimate moments, I love being able to touch someone, kiss them, hug them etc.
I think internet dating is becoming more accepted by society, and if people find happiness there then so be it but it's not everybodies cup of tea.

No. Not at all.