The integration of social media into American lives has created a world that is simultaneously expanding and narrowing, making it easy to create connections with people and businesses around the world—and in the immediate vicinity—while sometimes behaving in ways one wouldn't in person, according to a recent study by Euro RSCG Worldwide.
The Blending of Online and Offline Worlds
In social media, consumers use a combination online and offline elements to create the social interactions they want. Nearly half of consumers (48.7%) say interaction through electronic means is more convenient than face-to-face, while 27.6% say social media enhances their offline social life. Moreover, nearly 40% say social groupings online can be truly social.
The old images of sad antisocial types appear to have dissipated as well, with 57.6% of consumers disagreeing with the idea that online socializing is for antisocial people.
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The Effect of Anonymity
When interactions are mainly online, consumers feel less inhibited than when interacting face-to-face—and they are more likely to tilt toward extreme behavior, according to the study. Nearly 43% of US Internet users feel less inhibited online, with the effect most prominent among females and those age 24-54.
Almost half of consumers (48.7%) say they have met people online as a result of the anonymity of some electronic media. Moreover, 31.5% of consumers say that have felt empowered to do something because of online anonymity that they have wanted for some time, and another 20% say they have lashed out online about or at companies regarding their brands.
About the data: The study of 1,228 social media users in the United States was conducted by Euro RSCG in 2009.
