A new study has found that fewer than 3% of our Facebook friends can be relied on in a crisis. The study finds, in reality, many online friends would ignore a plea of help, and if they do, they’ll read the update and comments but will not comment themselves.
Researchers found that the average Facebook user has 155 friends but would turn to just 4 of the 155 for help. But it’s not all dire, the participants of the study said that they could rely on 14 people for “sympathy.”
Professor Dunbar, from Open Science said: “Respondents who had unusually large networks did not increase the number of close friendships they had but rather added more loosely declined acquaintances into their friendship circle.”
The study concluded “Real friends can be relied upon either online or in reality, the trick to it is to maintain contact and be there for people yourself.”