Swiping right for friendship

With International Friendship Day right around the corner, a leading dating app has published a survey which indicates that young Indians are increasingly using these mediums to seek new friends and companionship in these isolated times. The survey revealed that nine in every 10 Gen Z users turn to their dating apps to find new people or stay connected, without worrying about romantic potential. Some of their top stated reasons for swiping include ‘making new connections’, ‘finding friends in their communities’, and ‘looking for fun hangout buddies’. Further, food, humour and cinema are top draws among users, with 41 per cent focusing on matches who have a shared love for food, 36 per cent on wit and 32 per cent on movie buffs when swiping. Interestingly, users have found their way around the  virtual social sphere, with seven in 10 Gen Zs admitting that it is easier to make connections online. A whopping 67 per cent also agreed that meeting new people online was liberating.