In my view there is no reason why the internet should be anything other than another communication tool which can be used to "meet" people.
My best mate married a guy who was mates with a guy she wrote to from personals...she did it as a laugh at first but it got deep. They slowly fell in love.
All that before they met. They've been married for two years now and have a baby together (and she's beautiful btw). Incidentally...the song they danced to at their wedding (first dance) was "I knew I loved you" by Savage Garden (first line of the chorus being "I knew I loved you before I met you"). Soppy but sort of appropriate. Their wedding was a beautiful occasion and I could see in their eyes they love each other.
Anyway...the point is...if they can do it in personals, using pen and paper, why not text on a screen?
I fell in love with someone I met online...and I know others who have (shan't say as it's for them to "out" themselves
)...sadly in my case things never worked out, and have no hope of working out...it kills me a little every day but c'est la vie, eh?
I'm glad for the experience...well...I'm not really but I can see one day how it may well aid me in the long term.