New ask Hacker News story: Combating Loneliness in the Digital Age: Can New Social Platforms Help?

Combating Loneliness in the Digital Age: Can New Social Platforms Help?
4 by YT-Main | 3 comments on Hacker News.
Hello Hacker News community, I've spent a considerable amount of time grappling with a pervasive issue in our tech-centric society: the growing sense of loneliness and social isolation, particularly among younger adults. It's a paradox of our times – we're more connected online than ever before, yet many of us feel increasingly isolated. The problem is more pronounced than we might realize. A 2020 study by Cigna threw up some alarming statistics: a significant portion of the population reports feeling a deep sense of loneliness. This isn't just about the quantity of interactions; it's the quality that's missing. Traditional social media, despite its potential to connect us, often ends up fostering a cycle of passive engagement, where meaningful interactions are few and far between something I experienced firsthand as a 20-year-old. As a response to this challenge, I developed an app called Commune (getcommune.com). My goal was to create a platform that could counteract the superficial nature of typical social media interactions. Commune is designed to encourage real-life, face-to-face interactions through local events and interest-based communities. It's an attempt to merge the convenience of digital connectivity with the authenticity of in-person communication. I'm sharing this here because I value the insightful discussions this community offers and I’m eager to hear your thoughts. Do you think an app like Commune can provide a meaningful solution to the loneliness epidemic? Is it possible for digital platforms to foster genuine connections and community building, or is this just an idealistic notion? I’d love to hear your perspectives, especially if you’ve encountered similar challenges or have experiences with platforms attempting to bridge this digital-personal divide. Looking forward to an engaging discussion!