Comments on: Would You Trust An Online Friend?

By: Thord Daniel Hedengren

Thord Daniel Hedengren — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:19:39 +0000

Good point, Dixon.

By: Dixon

Dixon — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 19:48:47 +0000

If it was something like a micro-loan — less than $20 — I’d consider it. But, probably not. If your real life friends won’t lend you money, I’m not going to either.

By: Deltamusic

Deltamusic — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 15:37:10 +0000

I have thought a lot about this subject for quite some time. The question you asked here is simple, however I feel sure the answer will be difficult. I tend to be a very private person that is open to the public… For some reason lending money to a friend does nothing but add stress to the friendship forever by changing the “equal footing” mentioned by TDH. I have only a few online friends i would even consider lending money if asked. I think I would still say no unless I had just hit a jackpot at a casino. BTW this has happened and I could really use the $$ today.
Am going to watch this and get back. An online friend is having a problem and asked if I would help…

By: Emanuel Nordrum

Emanuel Nordrum — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:49:38 +0000

I’ve done favours for online friends: Checked shops for hard to find boardgames for friendly enthusiasts, bought and shipped a comic book that was out of print but plentyfull near me. I’ve even, on one occasion, let a particularly good friend of mine stay at my place for a while after he and his fiance moved to the country.

But I think that I would draw the line at any serious commitment, such as lending money. Especially if it were a considerable sum. It’s not that I don’t trust those friends I’ve made online, it’s simply that it’s too easy for things to get mismanaged. If I buy a comic book for someone, I’m not dependant on the recipient paying me back. If I loaned money, I’d probably have more than a few sleepless nights thinking about my money, in a different country or continent altogether.

If someone did ask me for a loan, I would probably suggest it was time we met face to face.

By: Thord Daniel Hedengren

Thord Daniel Hedengren — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 16:25:26 +0000

That’s probably the most sound way to manage it, but then again, it is hard to say no to a friend in need. Still, in a way I agree with you. It’s just like doing business with friends and family. Don’t, unless you’re on a totally equal footing. Which isn’t to say that it won’t be trouble anyway.

By: xen

xen — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:24:21 +0000

I live by the proverb F. Mulder lives by; Trust no one.

I have many good friends I’ve only met online, but in general you should have a bloody good reason to ask me for money. I more or less never lend money to people I know in person.

By: Presentation Builds Trust, Increases Readership | tdhedengren

Presentation Builds Trust, Increases Readership | tdhedengren — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:56:28 +0000

[...] Spencer over at Business and Blogging did a follow-up on my Would You Trust an Online Friend post, but with a slightly different twist. She takes the business blogger angle, naturally, and [...]

By: Do Your Readers Trust You?

Do Your Readers Trust You? — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:07:45 +0000

[...] Over at the tdhedengren. blog, the personal blog of Thord Daniel Hedengren, an interesting question is being posed. The question is this: Would You Trust An Online Friend? [...]