Owing by the surge in social media usage among Indians, one-third of the country’s below-35 people feel more comfortable socialising online than in real life, a new survey has revealed.

The survey conducted by Kissanpur reveals that 65 percent respondents in Bengaluru said they are more comfortable with virtual socialising, followed by 33 percent respondents from Mumbai reiterating the same.

As many as 70 percent of the respondents in Bengaluru and 43 percent in Mumbai say they get to know about the lives of their friends and relatives mainly online.

When it comes to children, 53 percent Indians believe that their wards need coaxing or take very long to make new friends. This trend is largely seen in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Lucknow.

Furthermore, 38 percent Indians are either just acquaintances with their neighbour or they do not even know their neighbours at all. This number is significantly higher in Bengaluru with 68 percent agreeing with this observation, followed by Delhi and Lucknow.

They are mere strangers who share a courtesy smile or meet casually in the elevator. Some don’t even know their neighbour’s names.