How Addictive Are Social Media Sites?

Most people feel a little anxious after a period of time without access to a cell phone or computer, but some people can’t even go 5 minutes without texting, Tweeting, or checking their Facebook page. A recent Gadgetology study by Retrevo.com, a consumer electronics shopping site, set out to discover how much control social media has over people’s lives.

The survey found that most people check Facebook and Twitter a couple times a day. But when looking at people under age 35, Retrevo found that 27% of this age group checks Facebook more than 10 times a day. Fifty-six percent said they visit the site 1 to 10 times a day, and 17% said they never look at the site.

Retrevo asked a sample of 771 gadget-savvy individuals about how much they used social media in various settings, such as while driving, at work, on vacation, and even on a date. Those older than 35 spent a reasonable amount of time checking in on social media services, while those younger than 25 spent a great deal of time texting and visiting social sites.

For example, 36 percent of the younger set said they texted or checked Facebook after sex, while only 8 percent of the older set did the same. Forty percent of the younger people admitted to texting or checking Facebook while driving compared to 9 percent of the older people.

At work, 64 percent of the under-35s text or surf the web, while 28 percent of over-35s do the same. Thirty-four percent of the younger set texted or went online while on a date, compared to 9 percent of the older set. Finally, 65 percent of the younger people texted or checked social sites while on vacation, compared with 41 percent of older people.

In the Gadgetology study, it was found that younger people tend to check social networking sites using their mobile phone, while those 35 and over prefer to use a computer. Only 19 percent of the older set use a phone as their preferred online device, while 81 percent of them use a computer. On the other hand, 46 percent of those under 35 use a mobile device to go online, and 54 percent use a computer.

Surprisingly, Twitter seems to be a worse influence than Facebook. Among respondents under age 35, 27 percent of those who use Facebook say they check it more than 10 times a day compared to 39 percent of Twitter users checking in on Twitter more than 10 times a day.

In addition, it was found that men are twice as likely to text or Tweet after sex than women. Those who own iPhones are three times more likely to go online after sex than Blackberry owners.