Online rudeness hurting virtual and real world relationships, survey finds

Rudeness and throwing insults are cutting online friendships short, with a survey released earlier this week showing people are getting ruder on social media and two in five users have ended contact after a virtual altercation.

The survey found that incivility on social media has surged, with 78% of 2,698 people reporting an increase in rudeness online and people having no qualms about being less polite virtually than in person.

One in five people have reduced their face-to-face contact with someone they know in real life after an online run-in and 19% of people blocked, unsubscribed or "unfriended" someone over a virtual argument.

"What really is surprising is that so many people disapprove of this behavior, but people are still doing it. Why would you name call online but never to that person's face?" said Joseph Grenny, co-chairman of corporate training firm VitalSmarts, which conducted the survey.

Grenny suggested peer-to-peer pressure was needed to enforce appropriate behavior online.