People are more likely to lie on social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter than in person, according to a new study.

The study, based on a survey of over 2,000 people in Britain, has found that people are more comfortable with being dishonest on Twitter and Facebook than they are when speaking to someone face-to-face.

The survey by Optimum Research, on behalf of Direct Line insurance, revealed just 20 per cent of people said that they were more honest when communicating via Twitter or text messages, while almost a third said they were more frank when speaking to someone in the flesh.

"Modern technologies, such as smartphones, social networking and instant messaging have been hailed as innovations in the way people interact, removing obstacles to conversation and allowing for openness of discourse.

"However, we sometimes use these means of communication rather than a face-to-face encounter or a full conversation when we want to be untruthful, as it is easier to fib to someone when we don't have to deal with their reactions or control our own body language," 'The Daily Telegraph' quoted psychologist Glenn Wilson as saying.