Pranks on Facebook take over traditional jokes: survey

Half of the jokes carried out by 18 to 24-year-olds are shared online and about 40 per cent of those polled said they were likely to "prank" a friend with the aid of technology rather than with traditional jokes, the Daily Express reported.

The survey of 2,000 people in the UK by confectioners Maynards found that jumping out at someone was number one on the top 10 jokes list and next was making prank phone calls.

They were followed by 67 per cent of young adults admitting their Facebook status had been changed.

Sending fake texts from someone's phone came fourth, followed by "photobombing", or jumping into someone's photograph as it is being taken.

Men carried out the most pranks at 74 per cent compared to 61 per cent of women.