Throughout high school, more of my life existed online than in the real world.
I had no traditional social circle. Instead, my need for human interaction was fulfilled by online communities like music fan groups, niche video game communities and countless other corners of the internet.
This is not something I am proud of. After moving and starting college, I drifted away from those online groups and found far more beneficial in-person communities and friends.
However, I had little choice prior to leaving my hometown, where isolation and personal struggles made traditional friendships impossible. Online communities were my next best option for social interaction, and I would have been much worse off without them.
This story is echoed by millions across the globe. Connecting with others online can benefit any person or community in a myriad of ways. Everything depends on who you are and what you are looking for.
Yuqing Ren, an associate professor in the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management who has studied online communities for nearly 20 years, said one way of differentiating internet communities is by their intended purpose. According to Ren, many communities are designed for exchanging professional information, while others revolve around unique hobbies, healthcare or almost any area of interest.
“Young people are going to online groups to look for companions, company and information,” Ren said. “Online groups give them what they cannot find in the offline world.”
Whether online communities play a large or small role in your life, some of the benefits remain the same. Online conversations, or even friendships, can span cultures and continents otherwise impossible in the physical world.
“Sometimes it’s easier to find people who understand you because being online gives us a broader, bigger population of people versus one person,” Ren said.
Online communities gave me friendships with people who lived not just in different states, but even on the opposite side of the globe. The ability to have an instant conversation with someone in Singapore or Japan when you live in the U.S. is a very quick way to broaden your worldview.
Social dynamics in online communities differ from in-person groups in many ways, but they are not necessarily worse.
Miro Samir, who is part of several online communities on Discord, said making online friends is easier than offline, but they can fall apart just as quickly.
“It’s a little different because if you want to keep talking to them, you can. But the next day, you’ll wonder if you’ll ever text again,” Samir said.
Anonymity, another important aspect of many online connections, can bring both unique opportunities and safety risks.
Raj Matel spends time in online communities on Reddit and said communicating with someone anonymously can feel more open.
“People have freedom with the internet,” Matel said. “People can stay anonymous, which is sometimes okay. You can talk to people, and if you don’t like them, you can just disconnect.”
However, Matel said many people use anonymity as an excuse to say things online they would not otherwise, or even take advantage of others.
The risk of online connections will always make them inferior to in-person relationships.
Samir said unless people were to verify their identities with actual ID cards before interacting online, anonymity would always enable people with malignant intentions. Still, if you are careful, there is no denying that meaningful online friendships are possible.
According to Ren, the key to a beneficial online friendship is being genuine.
“Whether it’s an offline relationship or an online relationship, the fundamentals should not be changed too much,” Ren said. “A good relationship should be based on authenticity and being who you truly are.”
Ultimately, people who know what they want out of an online community will most likely find it with time. Matel said he goes online simply to learn new things and interact with others.
“It’s about killing some time and being entertained,” Matel said. “Gossip really sells well. People like to learn and hear about other people’s lives.”
The practical uses of online communities are equally valuable. Ren said an internet community helped her identify a health issue she experienced several years ago that doctors could not identify.
“I was desperately searching online, and then there was an online community I stumbled upon,” Ren said. “Suddenly I felt at home. People were talking about exactly what I was struggling with.”
In-person friendships will always be superior to online friendships, but there is no denying that online communities can still offer real social interactions in their own ways.
The internet is a vast and scary place, so always be wary, but if you look in the right places, you might find a community worth being part of.
Corrections: A previous version of this article misstated how long Yuqing Ren studied online communities. She has studied online communities for nearly 20 years, not 40.
