Friend-finding Apps Are Reshaping Adult Friendships Post-pandemic, With Rising Use For Platonic Connections And Niche Platforms.
When Jenné Norris, 31, landed a remote job supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts through recruitment at a major technology company, she decided it was time to leave the Washington D.C. metro area for Charlotte, North Carolina. Having attended college in the Tar Heel State and maintained friendships there, she longed for a community and support system that she felt was lacking in Washington. However, upon her arrival in Charlotte in January 2021, Norris discovered that her social network wasn't as strong as she remembered.
Faced with the challenge of rebuilding her social circle from scratch, Norris turned to a friend-finding app, hoping to connect with new people. "I'm trying to connect with more young Black women in Charlotte and cultivate friendships and relationships," Norris shared with Stacker.
Norris is far from alone in seeking platonic connections through apps. To better understand how adults are making friends today, Stacker spoke with individuals using dating and friend-finding apps for platonic purposes.
Though several friend-finding apps—like Yubo and Bumble's friend mode, Bumble BFF—have existed since the mid-2010s, their engagement surged dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic. The rise in popularity of these general friend-finding apps has also led to the creation of more niche platforms tailored to specific friendship needs. For instance, Peanut is designed for people navigating various life stages and fertility issues, while Pawdate pairs dog owners.
Interestingly, dating apps have long been used to find friends rather than romantic partners. A 2021 OnePulse survey of over 300 Gen Z respondents aged 16 to 24 found that at least 1 in 3 (35%) had used dating apps to find platonic friends in the previous year. This trend is not confined to Gen Z; a 2016 WayUp poll among college students revealed that more than half of the respondents were using dating apps to make platonic connections. Furthermore, a 2023 Pew Research Center study indicated that nearly 1 in 4 current or recent online dating app users cited making new friends as a "major reason" for using dating apps.
So, what is driving this social network renaissance? And how does the desire for more platonic friendships shape our digital connections in the post-pandemic era? Read on to explore how people are navigating the complexities of making friends in this increasingly lonely new age.