Twitter, Facebook Fiends Stop Sexing to Start Texting
How often do you feel compelled to log into Facebook or Twitter and see what your friends are up to? An even bigger question is, would you ever shove your partner away during an intimate moment to see what's happening in your online world? If so, you're not only addicted to social networking, your priorities are also way out of whack.
According to a recent study by Retrevo Inc., an online electronics vendor and review site, social networking may be more habit forming than you imagined.
"The latest Retrevo Gadgetology study asked social media users questions such as when, where, and how much time they spend on sites and services like Facebook and Twitter. We were not surprised to learn how many people appear to be, shall we say, obsessed with checking in with their social media circles throughout the day and even the night," commented Andrew Eisner, Retrevo's director of Community and Content.
Helping Eisner come to that conclusion, the study showed that 48 percent check or update Facebook or Twitter right before going to bed or as soon as they wake up. But that stat alone isn't troubling. What concerns us most is that 7 percent of respondents said they would check out a message during an intimate moment. Talk about killing the mood. Even more perplexing is that more respondents under the age of 25 said they would be willing to stop having sex to check their messages than those over 25 years old (11 percent vs 6 percent, respectively).
There are plenty of other troubling stats, such as 32 percent admitting they would run away from a meal to get their social networking fix, and way too many respondents aren't even willing to break away from their online lives when nature calls. Gross.
"Some of this can be ascribed to the newness and freshness of the social networking craze," said Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group. "With many people, it will probably smooth out as they become more used to it. However, there will be a percentage of people who become somewhat addicted to social networking -- to checking up on it, to maintaining it, to extending it.
"This could cause problems in their real lives as it consumes more and more of their time and attention," Olds added.
Eisner doesn't go quite as far and readily admits he's not "qualified to declare a societal, social media crisis," but like us, he is left pondering (and scratching his head) over some of the responses.
Are you or is someone you know addicted to social networking? Is there such a thing? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below! And don't forget to feed your addiction by subscribing to our own Facebook and Twitter feeds - just be sure to finish your 'business' first.
According to a recent study by Retrevo Inc., an online electronics vendor and review site, social networking may be more habit forming than you imagined.
"The latest Retrevo Gadgetology study asked social media users questions such as when, where, and how much time they spend on sites and services like Facebook and Twitter. We were not surprised to learn how many people appear to be, shall we say, obsessed with checking in with their social media circles throughout the day and even the night," commented Andrew Eisner, Retrevo's director of Community and Content.
Helping Eisner come to that conclusion, the study showed that 48 percent check or update Facebook or Twitter right before going to bed or as soon as they wake up. But that stat alone isn't troubling. What concerns us most is that 7 percent of respondents said they would check out a message during an intimate moment. Talk about killing the mood. Even more perplexing is that more respondents under the age of 25 said they would be willing to stop having sex to check their messages than those over 25 years old (11 percent vs 6 percent, respectively).
There are plenty of other troubling stats, such as 32 percent admitting they would run away from a meal to get their social networking fix, and way too many respondents aren't even willing to break away from their online lives when nature calls. Gross.
"Some of this can be ascribed to the newness and freshness of the social networking craze," said Dan Olds, an analyst with The Gabriel Consulting Group. "With many people, it will probably smooth out as they become more used to it. However, there will be a percentage of people who become somewhat addicted to social networking -- to checking up on it, to maintaining it, to extending it.
"This could cause problems in their real lives as it consumes more and more of their time and attention," Olds added.
Eisner doesn't go quite as far and readily admits he's not "qualified to declare a societal, social media crisis," but like us, he is left pondering (and scratching his head) over some of the responses.
Are you or is someone you know addicted to social networking? Is there such a thing? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below! And don't forget to feed your addiction by subscribing to our own Facebook and Twitter feeds - just be sure to finish your 'business' first.
