Do not confuse acquaintances with friends. Moreover, do you consider your online friends as genuine friends?
The main difference between friends and acquaintances is the depth of the relationship:
Friends
Have a close connection, trust, and loyalty. Friendships are reciprocal, and friends interact outside of a single context. They support each other, share interests, and play a significant role in each other’s lives.
Acquaintances
Are people you know casually, with limited interaction and shared experiences. Acquaintance relationships are often superficial and lack emotional intimacy.
Some signs that an acquaintance is becoming a friend include:
You both initiate conversation
They get excited about your interests
They ask you questions about your life
You feel comfortable hanging out with them one-on-one
The number of friends someone should have depends on their needs. Some people prefer a few close friends, while others enjoy having many acquaintances.
I have more acquaintances than true friends. Genuine friendships are hard to find. Sometimes, it takes years for you to realize that the people you trusted were deceitful. It’s best to focus on casual acquaintances and move forward without being loyal to those who prove unworthy of your trust years later.
Interesting question, @SmallPaul! And definitely something to think about. I thought that the more friends one has, the better. But as I grew older, I realized this is not the case. I wanna say I have real friends, and there is nothing wrong with being acquaintances. I just wonder, is there a level between acquaintance and friend? Haha.
Are you saying there could be levels in a friendship and there could be levels with your acquaintances?
When it comes to friends, it’s natural to share more personal details with one friend, especially if that friend has gone through similar experiences or many other reasons.
Regarding an acquaintance, it’s hard to tell at first, but they might slowly transition into becoming a friend. You start crossing paths more often, engaging in cool conversations, uncovering shared interests, and before you know it, that acquaintance relationship can turn into a friendship.
I agree that the key difference is the depth of connection. While online friends can be genuine, the nature of the relationship often depends on how much trust, time, and emotional investment is shared. True friendships usually extend beyond digital interactions and involve personal support and mutual care.
My test if someone is a friend is if I’m comfortable enough to ask them for help and that I know that person will not hesitate. Whether it’s an emergency or something more benign like recommendations etc. The emergency type friend, those are hard to come by especially in the US I feel like.
How many people can you call and expect to help if (hopefully doesn’t happen to any of us) you find yourself in some form of accident and need immediate help?
And definitely something to think about. 
I thought that the more friends one has, the better. But as I grew older, I realized this is not the case. 
I wanna say I have real friends, and there is nothing wrong with being acquaintances. 
I just wonder, is there a level between acquaintance and friend?