This weirdly ignores that no one wants or expects to interact with their family solely virtually indefinitely owing to distance, and that long-distance friendsh

This weirdly ignores that no one wants or expects to interact with their family solely virtually indefinitely owing to distance, and that long-distance friendships made also entailed having met face-to-face before keeping in touch. A friend online can still be friendship, but more limited in what it can offer. There's no replacement for being with people, it's a fundamental human need. I've been in close-knit online communities in the past and never once did it fulfill social needs. At best it was entertaining.