[Blarg]

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You may be underestimating how often people talk of "loving" each other, with utter seriousness and in a romantic way, over the internet without having met.

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perhaps, but that is still not what i would normally consider "online dating" based on the parlance of our times - more of an actual online relationship i guess, which is more than a bit freaky. christ, i hope this is not what people think of when i tell them i met my girlfriend online!

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I can't speak for everyone, but for me the area is undefined enough that it could mean anything. For instance, I've met some people who've met and gotten married because they both played the online MMORPG Everquest together. That's not online dating per se, but it is meeting your girlfriend online.