Rule nothing out these days.

It's hell in a hand cart.

i effing knew you'd be first to reply lol

i love you

I love you too Bandit  

I've put my serious head on to answer your question, Pirate, and I think that if someone is posting stuff to a stranger on the internet which they would not be happy for their partner to read, then maybe they shouldn't be posting it in the first place. 

Yes, I think it is.  Firstly it can just start off as a bit of online banter/flirting/cybering, but it can become all too real for some and they will end up meeting the person.

A few years ago, I had an ex FM request some cybering time with me and I declined, because in my mind it would have been cheating on my husband.  Everyone is different I suppose, but I am a 'do unto others, as you would have done unto you' person.

If someone was doing that they obviously are lacking something in their real life relationship, if you were happy why would you want to be chatting up/flirting/sexting or the like? I would class it as cheating or in the very least being disloyal to their partner 

what dame said

the rule is simple... 

if whatever you are doing online with someone, would upset or hurt you if it were your partner doing it..  then its wrong

MrD & I defined that rule many years ago!    We met online..   so we both know how powerful and v real romance can be online...   but we also know how platonic friendships were also possible.

V easy to get lost in the grey areas or technicalities of whether its cheating or not..   our rule works - none of that dancing around in the grey area with that! 

Stop sending me flirty emails Pirate 

Seriously though, It's a fine line.  What seems like banter to you might seem like flirting to your partner.

I had no idea you met online. Was it a forum romance or a dating site?

It's different for every couple.... the line.

I'm in the Ditty household camp of

if whatever you are doing online with someone, would upset or hurt you if it were your partner doing it..  then its wrong

If you feel the need to hide it then it probably falls into the same above rule

I think it is possible to cheat via the internet. I'm dead curious about Cinds now lol

Neither...  it was before dating sites, and forums (that I was aware of)..   was in the old MSN Chatrooms...    I think I met him in the '30 and Flirting Room'    Though we talked for over a year, it was pretty platonic really...  we talked about other relationships & stuff.     Then I broke my arm and stopped going on the internet for 6 months (& he went sailing across the Atlantic)..  then one day I was on annual leave and had sat down to close down the various chat rooms logins I had..  I was literally logging into them, and then closing them down..   I logged into my MSN one and before I could press the appropriate close down buttons his little dialog box popped up saying "hello stranger".

Was total fluke that he was online at that precise moment in time (he too was having a week off work)..    So we decided to meet up the following day...  he came up here, "forgot" to bring a clear visor for his motorbike helmet, so when the sun started going down he was buggered for getting home (dodgy git)...  so by 9pm that evening we were sitting on my sofa reading the papers, drinking cups of tea like an old married couple.

Got engaged 6 months later, married 5 months after that!

We'll have been married 10 years in 2 weeks time 

Agree wholly with this.

That's amazing Ditty! Mazel Tov on the big anniversary 

If my husband could find the time to have an online or real life fling then he's welcome to his jollies.

As far as I'm concerned he's never put a foot wrong in his service and devotion to me and our kids, so as long as I don't know then I obviously don't care ....

Alovely story Ditty.

I think it'd be nighly unlikely for Mr Woo to get involved in an online romance. He really has no idea when it comes to computer stuff. He is also too bus.

I do think the practice of thinking 'would I be hurt if he were doing this' is a pretty good principle to base online chat on.

A very close/intimate on line relationship would be IMO sort of cheating. I would feel a bit betrayed TBH.

Suzy Bean .....how lovely to see you back. Hope the family are well especially your boy 

Thanks Soozy! My son is doing well, he copes with all the medical drama much better than I do anyway 

There is no grey area - its cheating