London - Soppy lovebirds who take to Twitter and Facebook to announce their love are a turn-off, according to a new study.
Researchers found nearly one in four Brits have felt annoyed by “virtual displays of affection” or VDAs.
More Brits than ever are using their computers to document their relationships, with nearly half admitting changing Facebook status to “in a relationship”, the survey found.
But couples who turn to computers to tell their better halves how much they love them are in fact committing the biggest dating faux pas of the internet age, according to the research.
The survey, by dating website match.com, revealed that a third of Brits said they had read an online comment about a painful break-up, but 58 percent would rather not know.
Explicit posts are the biggest turn off with some three-quarters of women saying they dislike that level of sharing.
And one in three people say they would rather not see people call their other halves by their pet names on social networking sites.
However, not all online displays of affection are balked at as 90 percent of those quizzed said they don't mind seeing a shared profile picture of a friend and their boyfriend or girlfriend.
Kate Taylor, the website's relationship expert, said 'VDAs' had replaced PDAs - public displays of affection - as the most cringe inducing dating fau pax.
She said: “We all like to share that tingly feeling you get at the start of a relationship.
“There's nothing wrong with letting your close friends know you're happy, but it's important to keep in mind who you're sharing it with.
“It's unlikely that you'll be close friends with everyone you interact with on social media. What might seem a sweet comment in the eyes of you and your friends could come across as sounding unintentionally smug in the eyes of an acquaintance.
“Remember, VDAs invite a similar reception to PDAs, while you might think nothing of a quick smooch on public transport, but it can make observers feel uncomfortable.
“Try to limit your personal messages to a private and secure site, rather than sharing them over social media.
“In this context, your VDAs remain moving and romantic and you won't be accused of attention-seeking.” - Daily Mail