A new study has found that a combination of social media use and a loss of inhibitions granted by the anonymity of the internet has led to increased feelings of consumer empowerment.
Euro RSCG found that 31.5 percent of U.S. social media users feel empowered to do things they have wanted to do, while 20 percent have lashed out against brands and companies online, Adweek reports.
While social media is emboldening consumers to speak out against brands, the report offered some good news for marketers as well. Nearly half of the 1,200 respondents felt that online communication was easier than face-to-face connections, and 25.6 percent said they made no distinction between online and offline interaction.
The study also found that more than a quarter (27.6 percent) of consumers said personal offline relationships are benefitting from online interactions that occur on social media websites.
