An app to target the ‘loneliest generation’

Tech
Social
Posted 20 August, 2019

By Sofia Phillips

London, UK

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IRL is a new app that aims to solve technology addiction by bringing people together in real life, but will it stop social media savvy Gen Z from being the loneliest generation?

I know what you’re thinking. It’s 2019 and we’re more connected than ever, in contact with people every second of every day, always able to speak to someone at the click of a button. So, how is it possible that Gen Z are considered the loneliest generation of our time?

The truth is, we’re actually feeling more isolated than ever. It doesn’t matter that Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter – you name it – are all integral parts of our daily lives; our social media usage is unhealthy and it’s beginning to have an impact on our general wellbeing.

You’ve most likely heard that loneliness is a silent killer, as harmful to our bodies as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. It’s pretty detrimental to our mental and physical health so stop scrolling for a second and think: could social media be the reason you feel so disconnected from reality?

Recent studies have shown that despite the sense of community we get on platforms which allow us to connect with people regardless of distance, there is an undeniable link between smartphone usage and suicide, depression, and anxiety among teenagers.

Close to 50% of the 12 to 22-year-olds surveyed last year by global health service company Cigna, reported that they were sometimes or always feeling left out and rated themselves highest on feelings associated with loneliness. I for one am not that surprised, taking into account that about one in five millennials say that they have no friends. Looking at the stats, Gen Z isn’t too far behind.

So, what’s being done to address this problem?

The correlation between digital communication and increased levels of mental health issues is certainly being recognised as something that needs to change.

Of course, for those who have grown up surrounded by technology and the internet, it’s impossible to imagine a world without it. And I’m not saying that it’s an inherently bad thing, but I do believe it’s about time we tried to find more of a balance because there’s no denying the effect that unregulated time on social media is having on the way we interact with others.

‘People who engage in frequent meaningful in-person interactions have much lower loneliness scores and report better health than those who rarely interact with others face-to-face,’ says Cigna in response to the results of their survey – and they’re right. On average, we spend about five hours on our phones a day and the trend is definitely more worrisome among young people. Humanly immersing ourselves in the outside world is essential to keeping feelings of loneliness at bay and that’s exactly what In Real Life is trying to encourage.

What is it?

Unlike other social apps, IRL is striving to pry teens away from their phones, providing them with a means of easily sending, receiving and accepting invitations to participate in offline activities.

‘Right now, social media is a spectator sport. It’s not making people feel connected. We wanted to be the antidote,’ says co-founder and CEO, Abraham Shafi. ‘We feel like by focusing on plans, and getting together offline, we could be the Instagram of invites.’

Whether it’s to chill at home, workout, or go to a theme park for example, the app is becoming increasingly popular as it only connects users to a safe and known inner circle of friends already in their contacts that they can then make plans with. I mean, how many times have you gone through your list of Facebook ‘friends’ to realise that you speak to probably 10 out of the 1,000 people you have on there? Or compared the number of likes on your latest Instagram post to actual followers. I’m sure it’s not just me.

Plus, it’s totally normal to feel left out when we’re constantly seeing what everyone’s doing. Our grandparents don’t know what #FOMO is because they weren’t able to watch a Snapchat story or read a Tweet notifying them of what they weren’t invited to.

Explaining that FOMO is demonstrative of larger issues of social standing and inclusion, psychology professor Amy Summerville explains that once our basic needs are met (aka water, food and shelter), the desire to be involved takes centre stage. ‘The FOMO experience specifically is this feeling that I personally could have been there, and I wasn’t,’ she says. ‘I do think that part of the reason that’s really powerful is this cue that maybe we’re not being included by people we have important social relationships with.’

It’s pretty clear that while social media has an unlimited amount of benefits, it also comes with a dark side and, in my opinion, IRL seems to have the right idea on how to fight it. I’m not telling you to delete any of your numerous accounts, or trade your phone in for a Nokia Brick, but would it hurt to swap the scrolling for #irl socialising once in a while?

Sofia Phillips

Feature Media Manager & Senior Writer London, UK

Sofia (She/Her) – I’m the Feature Media Manager and a Senior Writer at Thred, specialising in exclusive articles and live interviews, fashion and beauty with a focus on sustainability, women’s rights, psychedelics, and Latin America. I studied Spanish at the University of Exeter and International Journalism at City, London. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

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