Is it easier to talk to friends online than in person?

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I find it is easier sometimes to talk to my friend in New Zealand than it is talking to people in person. Its like the social media world is easier than daily living. I even find it easier to talk to someone on the phone than in person at times. Isn't that weird?

It's easier for me in person because my friends aren't very socially demanding and they aren't overly reliant on social cues. When online it's also easy but I do enjoy talking to friends in person, but ONLY friends.

Yeah,

I think one reason chat, MMO's, etc always had such a pull for me is that they are manageable proxies for social interaction, and that written layer takes out most of what stymies me when dealing with NTs in person.

I find it's easier to make friends online & I met both my exes & current girlfriend on forums, the ladder two were this one. I think some of that is because it's easier for me to express myself online(I don't feel as shy) & I'm able to come in contact with aLOT more wider range of people.

It's easier, but less healthy.

I don't think so.
For one thing, you have to understand specific things like how to interact on the site and fit in or you get isolated and dog piled. One to one conversation in person is easier.
Also, when I'm online, I get into 'diary mode'. I suspect other people do too. I think this is maybe why it's so easy to get angry when something online disagrees with us. (And it's so easy to say 'something' rather than 'someone').

My best interaction isn't in person though. It's my pen pal. I wish I had more pen pals. And that some of them would write long letters with me. I spend a long time considering her and considering what she's got to say in her postcard and writing something special for her to read back.
(She's just a friend not a girlfriend but it really is deep, true friendship)

Yes, i just click and sent them a message.

If i call them, i have to find the phone, unlock it and call them.
If i want to talk to them face to face, i have to travel to them, which is tedious since they don't live in my town.

Then there is the whole aspect of synchronous vs asynchronous communication. Via messenger, i can send them a message and they can respond when they have the time and vice versa. Don't have to say everything at once, they could be driving or be in an awkward situation.

Internet > Mobile phones > Real life.

For me it is easier online because I can reply when I want, do one task at a time if I want, and not have to worry about misreading body language.

I regularly post on Wrong Planet and one other site. I limit Facebook to mostly family.

Definitely easier online, you can do things at your own pace, think things through more.

It's easier to me to "talk" to people online than it is to actually talk to people in person.

Yes in many ways it's much easier for me to communicate in writing rather than via the spoken word, largely because writing doesn't happen in realtime, so I have time to think about what the other person has "said" and what I'm trying to "say." And the absence of body language puts me on more of a level playing field with NTs.

On the other hand, sometimes in the middle of a written communication I start to feel that if the other person was physically with me then we'd get a matter resolved more easily. I guess that's because of the speed. I might do other things between each message in a series of written exchanges, so there's the risk of not easily being able to resume where I left off. Also, when I'm talking face-to-face I do pick up some of the nonverbal signals, and they allow me to quickly adjust what I'm saying in response to how it might be making the other person feel. In writing I tend to feel at risk of running away with my thoughts and confusing, boring, or otherwise upsetting the reader - when I'm talking to them in person, they might interrupt me, turn away from me, or look annoyed or upset, which can be very helpful in avoiding my taking a wrong turn.

It's way easier for me to make friends and talk to people online.
I have people that I've been talking with for years and have never met personally, and those are the ones that I talk the most with.
I have three friends in real life but since we don't have too much in common (they don't like most of the things that I do) we don't talk too much because it's almost impossible for me to talk to people if we don't like the same things (games, basically).

Oh you mean talking online as in an audio call. Kind of, in some situations. It's likely that I'll get their full attention by default if I'm audiocalling them or phoning them. In person I might have to attract their attention by interrupting what they're doing, and I'm reluctant to do that. They would usually find it easier to disengage if it's in person - with a call the start and end are usually well-defined, a bell rings, they answer, then there's a definite end point that you both agree, and if they just hang up on you then that's normally considered rude. Though friends aren't usually rude to me.

On the other hand I don't like holding a handset and even a wireless headset can get uncomfortable, and the reception can be poor, though no worse than talking in person against background noise can be sometimes.

Even in real life I converse textually.

If i know someone IRL, then I find it very hard to talk to them online or via regular letters. It's hard to change form of communication.

I've never spoken to anyone by actual speech online other than someone I have never met IRL.

Online is very much easier. Less things to not notice. As well as more time to go back and reread.

Wrongplanet.net has an online chat that is lots of fun if you feel the same, give it a go, say hey to wanderer.