50pc youngsters concerned about unflattering Facebook pics

More than half of youngsters say that friends seeing unflattering pictures of them on Facebook is one of the biggest concerns in their life, a new study has found.

According to the study, four in ten youngsters worry about friends putting uncomplimentary photos of them on the site, with women concerned about it more often than men.

The figures were revealed by a survey for a shopping site in UK. Its co-founder, Duncan Jennings, dubbed the trend "virtual vanity", the 'Daily Mail' reported As many as a fifth of Facebook users regularly exaggerate posts on their page to make their lives appear more exciting.

A quarter of the 2,000 people aged between 18 and 25 who were interviewed for the survey, admitted that they felt low and unpopular when they saw friends talking about social events to which they had not been invited.

A further 25 per cent were so worried about their appearance on the site that they regularly splashed out on new clothes to avoid being photographed in the same outfit twice.

The poll also revealed that young Britons spent an average of one hour and 20 minutes a day on Facebook, but nearly ten per cent used it for more than eight hours daily - the equivalent of a full working day.

A fifth of users were so concerned about their on-line appearance that they regularly exaggerated posts on their page to make their lives appear more exciting.

"Facebook is an integral part of young people's lives but it's putting pressure on them to fit in and look the part, which is especially challenging for groups such as cash-strapped students," VoucherCodes.co.uk. founder, Jennings said.

"Those aged 18 to 25 are very aware of how they appear to others. They are still just completing the formation of their self-identity and they can be quite affected by anything that makes them doubt themselves," said Internet psychologist, Graham Jones.