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"Is the Connected Generation actually the Alienated Generation? \nNearly 40% of Americans spend more time socializing via the Internet than in real life. Almost a quarter say they have missed out on important moments because they were, ironically, distracted by trying to share those moments on social networks. Nearly 20% say they actually prefer to communicate electronically via social network or text message than talk over the phone or face-to-face. \nThis is all according to a recent study commissioned by the social discovery site Badoo. More than 6,000 people in the U.S., UK and Germany were queried about their social lives online and off. \nWhile 39% of Americans say they spend more time socializing online than off, the numbers are slightly lower in the UK and Germany \u2014 36% and 35%, respectively. \nSEE ALSO: My Life Without Facebook: A Social Experiment\n \nBut Americans aren't totally down on social networks. 84% say social networks are useful for staying in touch with far away friends, three-quarters say they're great for reconnecting with old acquaintances and 83% say they help those who are shy and lonely meet new people. \nOther data from the survey can be interpreted as either positive or negative. One in three Americans say they are more likely to meet someone new online than in the real world, while 24% say they accept friend requests from people they don't actually care about or even like. \nSocial network users also appear to be becoming more cautious about what they are willing to put online. Nearly half of the Badoo study's respondents say they have be more careful about what they share. \nHow do social networks enhance your social life? Do they also detract from it? Is the Connected Generation actually the Alienated Generation because of social networks?  Let us know in the comments.\nImage courtesy of iStockphoto, EricHood"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2012/04/25/social-networks-study/>