Regarding the effect of online self-disclosure on friendship
quality, it has been argued that the impact of online communication
may be influenced by the content of information disclosed
(Schiffrin, Edelman, Falkenstern, & Stewart, 2010). Moreover,
self-disclosing to strangers online may only result in harmful
outcomes such as flaming (hostile and insulting interactions between
Internet users), online harassment and cyberbullying
(Valkenburg & Peter, 2009). In this way, the users’ friendship
quality is likely to be negatively influenced. In the present study,
respondents were asked the time they spent communicating online
over the previous week; the question did not distinguish the
time spent with strangers from time spent with existing friends.
Therefore, the positive effects of online communication and online
self-disclosure on friendship quality of friendship might be
attenuated.