"Where to Meet People" Internet Searches Spike Amid Loneliness Epidemic
The U.S. Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, released a report this month declaring loneliness and social isolation problems of epidemic proportions. He cited scientific studies showing that one in two American adults have reported feeling lonely even before the Covid-19 pandemic kept many people in their homes and away from public interactions. Loneliness also has grave impacts on people’s physical health, the report stressed, and is associated with elevated risks of heart disease, stroke, dementia in older adults and premature death.
Though there are many structural issues that are behind these feelings of disconnection, Google’s search trends reveal a potentially important one: More than ever, people are seeking spaces where they can build new relationships.
