Would you pay for an algorithm to pick your friends? New social apps spread across cities
A new wave of paid social apps uses algorithms to match lonely adults with potential friends at organized meetup events. The trend is partly driven by declining access to free communal spaces and rising rates of loneliness, particularly among young adults.
Why this matters: When you pay an app to pick your friends, you are handing a company your social life as data. Who you want to meet, where you go, who you connect with — that is a detailed map of your personal world. Most people signing up to cure loneliness are not thinking about what the platform learns about them in the process. These apps have a real incentive to keep you just lonely enough to stay subscribed. It is worth being clear-eyed about what you are trading for the introduction.
Who should care: AI governance · Lawyers · Administrators · General readers · Policy · Privacy officers
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