Nearly one in ten (9 percent) web users have never met a quarter of their online friends, says Geomium.
"These are worrying findings -- social networks are meant to facilitate socializing, not replace it," said Geomium CEO, Michael Ferguson.
"The idea of only communicating online is one that many people would be uncomfortable with. Social networks can be a great way of staying in touch but you can't beat actually meeting people."
More than a third of 18- to 24-year-olds said they couldn't imagine a world without social networking while four in ten said social network sites were the main way in which they organize their social life.
However, just 1 percent of the over 60s use social networks to organize their social life.
"Use a social network to organize your social life by all means, but don't let it become your social Life," Ferguson added.
Geomium, which was launched last month, lets web and iPhone users discover where their friends are currently located, as well as lists of nearby restaurants, bars and events as well deals on food and drink thanks to a tie-in with Yelp, Qype and Eventful. All of these can either be viewed in a list format or on a map.
See also: How to keep your children safe on Facebook
This story, "9% of Web Users Have 'Faceless Friends'" was originally published by PC Advisor (UK).