Friendships in cyberspace

I have developed friendships that exist today exclusively online. However, they are generally with people who I knew in person in the past, such as people that I went to school with as a child. I have not really developed friendships online with people I have never met in person. I communicate with online friends through social web sites and email. These relationships are different than face to face relationships, because there is more control over the information and experiences that are shared and there is more control about when I participate in communication. We share photos and exchange messages about our families, but it is hard to get a sense of what the other person is really feeling and how they are doing. The nonverbal cues such as tone, facial expression and appearance are missing. However, it is more convenient. I can write an email or post information when I want to and can control what information I share more easily than in face to face relationships. I have not really developed online friendships with people I have never met in person. I think this is, in part, because there is a lack of trust about who the person really is, and I think it is impossible to develop a personal bond online than in face to face relationships.