As people look for ways to make new friends, here are the apps promising to help

Growing loneliness and social isolation, labeled a public health crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2023, has sparked demand for platonic friendship connections among remote workers and young adults. A dozen friendship-focused apps have collectively generated $16 million in U.S. consumer spending and 4.3 million downloads this year, offering less awkward alternatives to meeting strangers in person.