Would you pay for an algorithm to pick your friends? New social apps spread across citieshttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/aug/26/algorithm-pick-your-friends-paid-free-meetup-apps-cliq-ply
With many adults admitting they feel lonely, meetup platforms offer the chance to make new connections Would you pay £20 a month for the chance of making a friend, on the understanding that an algorithm – not you – gets to decide who you’ll meet? Driven by the decline of “third spaces” such as youth centres and pubs, an increase in remote working and rising loneliness – 40% of adults aged 16 to 29 feel lonely “always, often or some of the time”, according to the Office for National Statistics – paid social events are now in vogue. Continue reading...
