New ask Hacker News story: Ask HN: Are there any online services that have helped your kids find friends?

Ask HN: Are there any online services that have helped your kids find friends?
2 by jawns | 0 comments on Hacker News.
Our 10-year-old son is having a really hard time making friends, which is all the more heartbreaking because prior to the pandemic he was Mr. Social. He's especially disheartened that his main friend group from school mostly have parents with fringe views we don't share, and he just doesn't enjoy being around them anymore. We're trying to (cautiously) explore in-person extracurriculars, but I'm wondering if there are any online services that might also be helpful. We've tried penpals, but he's really looking for more realtime interactions. Of course, video chats have their own set of issues, so we'd only want to go that route if there's strict vetting.