Almost a third of users of social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace are fed up with receiving requests to join online groups or try new applications, according to a study by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). The study found that 31 per cent of social networking website users disliked the barrage of notifications and requests to join various groups or try applications.

Research by the IAB also suggested that despite the rush by brands to tap into the potential of websites such as Facebook and MySpace, the reality is that users are turned off by marketing tactics. Only 5 per cent of those surveyed said they had signed up to a social networking profile set up or sponsored by a brand.

The report also found that 12 per cent of those surveyed do not like the fact that other people can monitor online activity on websites such as MySpace and Facebook. The survey concluded that this suggested that users were not particularly aware of the privacy functions that can be set to limit what can be seen.

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