Not being funny but if you're not on twitter or FB why are you reading it? I'm not aware of any of those things you mention it's not like it's common knowledge like the headline hitting stories involving politicians/footballers/soap actors etc, on twitter.
Pretty much every sentence in this would apply to me to, except swap boys for girls in the last paragraph
I signed up to the old bbc forum years ago, hardly used it. Hardly used the 606 one, look at my post count relative to date signed up to see how much I use this one. I regularly take breaks some times it's been up to 6 months [you get a nice little email after 6 months] but I suppose the reason I joined was more as an outlet when I got depression and everything was closing in on me or seemed to be. It's why I walk away when things get heated on here or stick up for people who seem to be getting a hard time from someone - I want to laugh or discuss not be insulted. I never use my phone or anyone else's pc to log on so I'm only on when I'm at home. Now make me laugh ...
Used to use chat rooms when I was younger, met few decent people from it and keep in touch with a group of them that I first met on there a while ago. Have a whatsapp group, and couple f from other countries.
I have a couple of mates who I met online via Quake around 1997. The Internet was a very different place then though. Quake was pretty much the only game with an online community, and IRC and Comic Chat were the only places to chat with strangers online.
Yes I am able to leave the place alone if I wish though. Done it a few times when its getting boring or annoying, or if I'm not looking to fill time etc. Never for anywhere near as long as you have, probably three four days is the most I've done.
There's a distinct difference though, as on FB you're posting as you, and about you. Anyone who searches for you can find you and read (what you allow them to) about your life. On here, people are anonymous (RHC aside) and whatever people are sharing isn't linked to their actual life beyond this forum. People can tell the truth (which in the main I think they do) or they could choose to lie through their teeth. Either way, it's not linked to them as individuals in the big, wide World and you can't therefore have randoms snooping on you.
I remember yahoo games had a chat bit... Playing pool etc. Was probably 12 when using it.. Didn't even think twice might be some dodgy old ****ers on there, only now I look back and wonder who that actually was I remember habbo hotel Used to spend an age on there when was young!
