Digital life
fromThe Walrus
1 week agoI Was Lonely and Let an App Pick My New Friends. Here's How It Went | The Walrus
Friend-making apps are gaining popularity in big cities, offering a way to connect with others amidst busy lifestyles.
The most potent form of social today is basically in group chats, which is obviously not new technology, but what it's highlighting is the fact that that's a trusted group of people who you actually know, who are verifiably human
Stop inviting me to your parties. I think I have not only aged out of going to some non-stop rager hosted by you, specifically for your benefit, but I also can't keep track of when your unnecessary gatherings even occur. You might think I sound incredibly unfun, but actually, I'm the life of the party. It's just that at my age, all the life has been sucked out.
Social event planning app Partiful, which calls itself "Facebook events for hot people," has firmly replaced Facebook as the go-to platform for sending party invitations. But what Partiful also has in common with Facebook is that it's collecting a tsunami of user data, and Partiful could have done better at keeping that data secure. On Partiful, hosts can create online invitations with a retro, maximalist vibe, allowing guests to RSVP to events with the ease of ordering a salad on a touch-screen.
Snapchat has launched a new digital literacy program, called "The Keys," which aims to highlight the dangers of online interaction for young users, and better equip them with knowledge on how to protect themselves, and avoid problems in social apps. "Developed in collaboration with Common Sense Media, informed by safety experts, and reviewed by members of Snap's teen Council for Digital Well-Being, this program aims to educate teens about four key risks they may face online - bullying, illicit drug activity, nude and intimate images, and sextortion - and teaches platform-specific skills for helping to stay safe on Snapchat.
You may know Grindr as the go-to destination for LGBTQ+ people looking to hook up-but apparently, it's now being used as an alternative to the likes of LinkedIn. Users checking into the dating app to see how many feet they are from a potential love interest can now expect to be poached for work, rather than asked out. That's because around 25% of its users are on the app to network, according to the company.