New research has shown that Britons are no longer chatting over the fence with a neighbour, instead looking further afield via the power of the 'net.
According to the research, commissioned by LG, the power of social networking is such that online community is replacing that 'traditional' idealistic view, where we would all leave our front doors open and play hoopla in bare feet.
The study doesn't state how many people were surveyed, so it could just be three people researchers met in an internet café, (update: we've just been told it's 1005 - although the possibility of them all being in said cafe wasn't denied) but apparently 41 per cent of people said they use technology to create new communities and eight per cent having no clue about their neighbours.
You wrote LOL - drink!
And the report points to the fact 52 pubs are closing every week as a reason people are starting to look elsewhere for chat - although online drinking probably doesn't hold the same thrall for most people.
"People are forming online communities, fitting with their demanding lifestyle and busy schedule – and the advent of social networking on mobile phones has made this even more popular and accessible," said John Barton, Sales and Marketing Director for LG Mobile.
"Being part of a community is important in maintaining emotional wellbeing, and having a supportive group of friends and family around you helps give you those life's good moments – and this research clearly supports this."
And - would you believe the coincidence - LG has also pointed out that it has a whole range of devices for social networking, under the new 'InTouch' moniker. Isn't that handy?
Your comments (2) Click to add a new comment
shodanicron
December 2nd 2009
2. Your comment is actually more interesting ( and informative) than the article. cheers man
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tobyp
December 2nd 2009
1. This backs up a survey we carried out. This is the full article :
Nearly 42 per cent of adults in a new survey, said that in the last year, they
had swapped nights out at the pub for computer game-playing sessions indoors, as
a cost-cutting measure.
According to the report from computer games price comparison site Gamescomparison.com, the impact of the credit crunch, disappointment with television dumbing down (especially reality programmes) and the growing popularity of the Wii console as a "family" offering, have led to large groups
of us becoming couch potatoes of a different sort.
Sales director Toby Pierides makes the observation that "the really popular
searches and sales on our site have been for multiple player games like Mario Kart and Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games. Also, we have seen increased demand for the more cerebral, puzzle-based challenges, like the Professor Layton series (Nintendo DS console) ". During the second quarter of 2009, according to the BBPA, pub beer sales were down 4.8% on the same time last year.
With significant job cuts still being announced regularly and the return of
inflation on the horizon, there is still a "battoned down hatches" mentality
among many. Those people who are sitting out this recession at home are also being more savvy with any expenditure related to that. Usage of recycling and bartering websites is up (take up sites like Itex.com is increasing all the time) and the purchase of the eponymous console games is not the straightforward logging on to the websites of Amazon and HMV that it used to be. Nowadays, the use of comparison sites (like Gamescomparison) is much more commonplace.
Survey figures : Copyright - Gamescomparison.com, 2009
In a sample of 1,400 people in September this year, findings were :
82% said they play more games than they did last year
42% said they go to the pub fewer times a week than they did
23% said that they have stopped going to the pub
30% said they had bought a new games console in the last two years
65% said they used to look on one retail site alone for their games
73% said that their first recourse was to a comparison site when buying a
computer game
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