Where is the line drawn between online bullying and brash opinionating?

When I have conversations with my buddies, they never seem to escalate to the point where we can’t step into each other shoes. However, online, I feel like there is less leeway for being in anthers shoes, or at least on forum style websites. Things seem to get out of control easily online vs in a real life groups (for instance a group of college students in a Communications class or a group of skateboarders at a park, conversations tend to not get out of hand for the most part…I think…)

What’s up with that? There also seems to be, “beat downs” with dislikes or likes. Obviously if someone “likes” something they are siding with that, but the element of “disliking” seems to have a negative impact on the conversation at hand (online forums).

Is it because of anonymity that people feel more stern on their opinions? Or is it more because of a “written response” vs a “chat room” style where things go more freely that people take things more personal on forums?

Furthermore, going back to the OP where is the line drawn between online bullying and answer with really strong opinions?

I feel like our society has lost a lot of respect for each other as it pertains to the online forums community.

I hope you catch my drift. (And no this isn’t nearly about Fluther itself, I’ve formed this question based on specialty forum sites that range from Guitars, to Vinyl Records, to Photography to Car Modding, to Sports Analyst websites…