Indians can’t get enough of sharing information through their mobile phones, according to an online survey on ‘Mobile Etiquette,’ commissioned by chip manufacturing major Intel. Teens, in particular, seem to be addicted to online habits.
The survey revealed 43 per cent of Indian teens responded that they try to make sure that every moment of their life was captured online and 69 per cent of them felt they were missing out if they were unable to share or consume information online. With regard to adults, 64 per cent confessed that they were more comfortable sharing information online than in person.
The survey was commissioned by Intel and conducted by research firm Ipsos Observer. It covered eight countries. While the survey for the U.S. was conducted from March 1 to 16, the online exercise covering India and six other countries — Australia, Brazil, China, France, Indonesia and Japan — was conducted from June to August. The sample population was based on a representative sample of the online population in the countries, Intel said.
The findings were released in the U.S. on September 5 through the launch of website www.mobileetiquette.com and the India-specific findings were highlighted in a press release on Thursday.
Some of the numbers contrasted the cultural differences between the countries when it comes to mobile phone use. Interestingly, Indian mobile users come across as the most tolerant when it came to voting on whether they wished others would practise better mobile etiquette. From India, 85 per cent wished others would practise better etiquette, whereas respondents from all the other countries were less tolerant: Australia (94 per cent), Brazil (95 per cent), China (97 per cent), France (95 per cent), Indonesia (98 per cent), Japan (93 per cent) and USA (92 per cent).
The top pet peeve among mobile phone users here pertained to the use of mobile phone while driving cars — respondents over the age of 55 years were particularly critical of this habit with 57 per cent of them saying they found it most difficult to digest.
The Indian male’s proclivity to send friendship requests — parodied in popular culture with the “want to make fraanship” phrase — also found mention in the survey. Fifty three per cent of the male adults who participated in the survey said the reason for sharing information online was to make new friends.
The study also contrasted the Indian mindset with the others. On the most popular things that people are used to sharing online, Indian respondents voted ‘marriage’ as the second largest category following the universal favourite ‘vacations.’ Mobile users from the U.S. and most of the other countries surveyed did not feel like sharing their marriage-related information.
