By Martin Paredes/south news editor

The idea that two people living on opposite sides of the Atlantic cannot have as good of a relationship as two in the same neighborhood could not be further from the truth.

Many find it hard to trust someone met online because of things like catfish and identity thieves, but con artists and deceitful people exist in the real world as well.

Friends made online are just as good and easier to find than attempting to befriend co-workers, classmates or neighbors who may or may not have similar interests.

Websites allow people with very specific interests to come together and socialize. If a person likes video game x or celebrity y, they can, from the comfort of their homes, interact and befriend people online.

With the use of things like Skype, which allows users to video chat with people in completely different parts of the world, online bonds can be justified and much more personal.

And the fact that the person might live cities, states and even continents away makes talking to them more meaningful.

Finding someone with similar interests online gives people something to immediately build on toward a truthful and rich relationship that can last much longer than one where two people meet in person.

Skout, an app that helps millions all over the world meet others, surveyed more than 52,000 of its users. The study found that 60 percent of respondents in the U.S. were more honest with their online friends than with friends they see in person.

Friends can be just as good if they’ve grown up all their lives together or have not met a single day in their lives.

People’s weariness of meeting people online is understandable, but if one is careful and open-minded, then they can form amazing friendships without ever leaving their homes.