More and more people may be turning to the internet to connect with friends, but a new study shows that the local bar is still the center of social life in Italy.
Italian drink maker Sanbitter conducted a survey to study social media use among Italians. Using Facebook to reach their study subjects, Sanbitter polled 1200 people and learned that Italians prefer to head to the neighborhood café to chat with friends in person before turning on the computer.
The respondents said that they would rather socialize offline before heading home to tweet or update their Facebook status. While social media use is becoming increasingly popular, many Italians would still rather discuss the news of the day over a coffee or an aperitivo.
Sanbitter found that these café conversations are primarily about politics, with 48% of survey takers claiming they were discussing the state of the Italian government. 42% said that sports usually comes up during their friendly chitchat. Gossip, work, and shopping were also popular topics.
The survey results probably won’t come as much of a surprise to those who have spent time in Italy- would you rather log on to Facebook or grab a perfectly brewed espresso at the bar down the street?
