So the topic in Coms205 has been about Architectures - Users, structures and networks. In a virutal community , users make up networks but are influenced by things like structures. Users can have their own online identity - a person can be anyone they want to be (old/Young) etc, and this online interaction does strip away the cues and signs that are part of face to face interaction.
However, Networks are composed of rhizomic social bonds. When there is a topic of interest between users and these public discussions last long enough, personal relationships can form