A SOCIALLY FRUSTRATED NATION

12th June 2008 — As social networking continues to take the world by storm, new research reveals nearly two thirds of us (62%*) are frustrated and confused by the new social situations we find ourselves in on sites like Facebook, Myspace and Bebo.

The Orange study into social networking faux-pas revealed the nation's most annoying online habits:

1. Social networking takes over a friend's life - they talk about friends' updates rather than real world events (29%)

2. People post embarrassing pictures of you without asking (28%)

3. Friends don't answer your phone call, but will respond immediately to a post (20%)

4. People go through your contact list and 'poach' your friends (10%)

Although great for making and keeping up with friends and acquaintances social networking in some instances is causing rifts between friends and redefining what we understand by 'proper behaviour'. Nearly two thirds of Brits (61%) don't know how to act in these confusing new social situations.

Most people wondered ""how to respond to pokes / messages from people you don't want to talk to"" (26%) or ""how to decline an invitation to be someone's friend or be part of a network (25%)"" Other points of confusion include ""how to respond to my ex when in a relationship with someone else (18%)"" and ""how to approach someone I'd like to know better (10%)""

To help alleviate this confusion, Orange, who commissioned the study, has partnered with etiquette experts, Debrett's, to produce five golden rules for 'sociable' social networking:

1. You don't have to make friends with people you don't know. It's not a competition to see how many friends you can get. Think before you poke.

2. Always wait 24 hours before accepting or removing someone as a friend. The delay will help you gather your thoughts.

3. Birthdays, engagements and weddings are not ‘virtual' events. Always send birthday cards or call your friends when there's important news.

4. Consider your friends' feelings before posting pictures. Put yourself in their shoes before clicking ‘upload.'

5. Think carefully about your profile picture — if you don't want to see it in your local newspaper, don't put it online.

Mark Watts-Jones, Head of Development and Innovation at Orange comments, “Social networking has had a huge impact on how we interact with friends and colleagues. It's now normal to have friends you never see or speak to, we are even seeing a huge increase in the amount of people accessing sites like Bebo via their mobiles. So with these new ways of communicating we are offering guidance to help our customers reap the benefits of new technology. Whether you're checking your Facebook profile on the move or posting photos of friends on MySpace at work, these guidelines will ensure you never lose old friends or make unwanted new ones.""

Jo Bryant, etiquette advisor from Debretts, the experts in modern manners comments, “The trend for social networking has made new demands on traditional etiquette. Play it safe, and always employ your usual good manners when online, treating others with kindness and respect. Remember, social networking is meant to complement and enhance your existing social life, not complicate it.”

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