For women, Facebook can turn friends into frenemies

Think that spending time on Facebook is a good way to relax? Well, think again -- especially if you're a woman.

Actually, even though 79 per cent of women say they use Facebook to keep their friends updated about their lives, a whopping 85 per cent of women say their Facebook friends annoy them, according to a survey by Eversave, a Groupon-like company that offers users local deals.

In other words, Facebook friends can easily become Facebook frenemies.

Eversave interviewed more than 400 women in a study about how social networking influences shopping and the use of deals. However, the survey uncovered some surprising information about the relationship women have with their online friends.

And the fact that women are finding their Facebook friends so annoying is ironic since last summer a study showed that most women who use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter say they're addicted to them.

More than half (57 per cent) of the women polled said they communicate with people more online than they do face to face, and 39 per cent called themselves Facebook addicts, according to a report from The Oxygen Media Insights Group, which is part of a company that focuses on television channels and Web sites for women.

That dovetails with another report that came out in October showing social networks make people feel more connected.

So, what do women find so annoying? The biggest complaint is about complaining. Eversave reported that 63 per cent of those surveyed said they get sick of their friends going online to complain all the time.

Update your status with your every move? Well, that irks 65 per cent of women on Facebook. And overly proud mothers are making some frenemies since 57 per cent of women say they're sick of their friends bragging about how smart or cute their kids are.

Another 42 per cent said they're irked by friends sharing unsolicited political views, and 32 per cent are annoyed by friends who use Facebook to brag about their lives.

"The survey validated our thinking on Facebook's growing influence on daily deals, but we were surprised by responses that show the love/hate relationship women have with Facebook," said Jere Doyle, CEO of Prospectiv, which owns Eversave.

Sharon Gaudin covers the Internet and Web 2.0, emerging technologies, and desktop and laptop chips for Computerworld. Follow Sharon on Twitter at @sgaudin or subscribe to Sharon's RSS feed. Her e-mail address is sgaudin@computerworld.com.

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