The past 10 months have been unprecedented for everyone around the world, and socially, younger people haven’t established their social circles yet, whether they’re transitioning from education systems to the “real world” or growing out of friend groups. During this time, it can be difficult to create new friendships since many continue trying to be safe from the Coronavirus. Unbeknownst to many, though, many young people have been creating friendships online for years. Although “don’t talk to strangers” is a common motif in many societies, the social media generation has branched out of that way of thinking and found ways to create and foster human connection safely across continents through the internet. Earlier during the pandemic, developers named Danielle Baskin and Max Hawkins launched QuarantineChat, a platform that connects people from around the world to chat at specific times of the day. Many have found that it kept them company to speak to strangers during the pandemic when communication with the outside world is limited. The app was popular in Iran, Hong Kong, Portugal, and London. While such apps have not grown in popularity in Egypt, basic social media apps…
Social Media as an Asset: Online Friendships Flourish in a Pandemic
January 17, 2021
