Yes, you do have to be aware of the person you're talking to on-line. If a few of the things they say make you think 'hum, that was strange', then you want to be watchful of the conversations you have with them.

But, sometimes you can end up having a really great time with an on-line relationship. There is a certain 'freedom' that comes with an on-line life; the person at the other end of the chat can't judge you on your looks, or fashion-sense, or slow thought processes. You have a little more time to think about what you're going to say; you can write out a whole paragraph, and then decide it didn't quite hit the right note, and start again.

I think it could also be a very safe place for a new sub to start; with no physical contact, s/he would know that they can't be hurt too much. They can still be trained in lots of ways, like kneeling, forms of address to use, certain amount of bondage and punishment. If it works right, there's always the chance of meeting in real life.