Loneliness is a state of mind. More than anything. You can be in a group of 30 people and still feel alone. The internet doesn’t affect it as you are still in your room alone typing on a PC. But it affects ones notion of being alone.
The internet allows us to connect with like minded people and groups we can socialize with. However it destroys basic concepts like communication, intimacy (I am not talking of sexual or relationship, but just a friends hanging out), basic social skills really.
There is a whole world out there and if I wasn’t stuck in Darfur I would never be on the PC or any internet site again!