‘Offensive comments’ tops reasons Facebook users delete friends: Nielsen

By Andrew Couts December 19, 2011

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These days, having a relationship with someone on Facebook can mean as much as having one in so-called “real life.” So adding and subtracting people from your list is an emotional process that can often require some careful consideration, and possibly even some soul-searching. But why do Facebook users add some people, delete other people, and leave some off the list, in the first place?

The answer is, well, not particularly shocking. According to a new study from NM Incite, a company owned by research firm Nielsen McKinsey, actually knowing someone in offline is the No. 1 reason users add someone to their friends list. Posting “offensive comments” is the primary factor in people hitting “delete.” Surprised? We didn’t think so.

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Here are a few more, perhaps more-interesting, tidbits: The average Facebook user has 130 friends. Men use Facebook primarily for networking, and dating, while women use social media “for a creative outlet, for coupon/promos and to give positive feedback,” all of which sounds incredibly stereotypical — possibly even sexist. Connecting with family and friends is a big reason for using the social network (obviously), as is networking and other career-related activities, and entertainment.

NM Incite has created this handy infographic, which shows a few more of the stats about social network usage. Check it out below:

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