Meeting Online Friends.

I personally think it's the stupidest idea in the world to meet up with someone alone that you have only ever heard of online.
OK, a lot of us on here are quite close, and some relationships that started off on TFS have worked out, like Sarah and Greg for instance.
I'm not going to name any names, but I have been reading through some threads (because I'm nosey like that ) and have seen a number of people organising to meet up one on one, and it's mostly a girl and a boy, I've also noticed that the girls have been 16 or younger and the lads have been 18 or older.
Of course its not my place to say anything, but to be perfectly honest, how stupid are these girls for wanting to meet up with a total stranger that they have probably only known existed for about a month?
I have met up with boys I've met online, but it wasn't through a forum, they were a friend of a best friend, so that makes it different, because I know my best friend wouldn't introduce me to a total creep.
I just don't understand why people do it, after all the stories we've all heard about young girls meeting up with people they've met online, and it turning into such a disaster.

I would strongly urge anyone girls or boys under the age of 18 to get permission from thier parents before even considering this.

But most people won't, most people will tell their parents they're meeting up with a friend, or going shopping then meet them

What if you know the persons sister? Well your mum knows his sister?

yeah I mean TOTAL strangers.

i went to meet someone i met on here in a public place
i was fine with it

I also met someone from here in a public place and it all went fine and is still going fine.

As long as you meet in a public place, and you're both adults, I don't see the problem. It's like the first rule of meeting people online - always meet somewhere with people, like a restaurant.

I've met people from here in very public places

I know they probably wont, but i still strongly advise it.

I speak as representative of this site as well as a mother of teens and i say that anyone considering meeting anyone online should follow the safety guidelines.

https://www.kidsmart.org.uk/yp/smart/default.aspx i really like this site

Thank you Treebee

I know.

If you every meet anyone who you meet online, Always take a friends I learnt that in year 9 at high school when I was 13 lol