Real bonds or reel friends? Youngsters reassess online friendships
This Friendship Day, young people are reflecting on what it truly means to be a "friend" in the digital era.
While online platforms offer multiple avenues for communication, there is broad agreement that in-person interaction remains unmatched. Many young people acknowledge that packed schedules, geographical distance, and a lack of common free time often push them towards digital connections.
Ayush Anand, a private sector employee in Patna, relies primarily on Instagram to keep in touch with friends.
"I can connect there by sharing memes and reels. Without speaking, one can still feel connected," he said.Though he prefers meeting in person to create lasting memories, Ayush also maintains longstanding online friendships.
"There are many online friends I've never met in person, but we've been connected for the past eight to nine years. We were all added to a cricket group on an instant messaging app. There were about 250 members, but a few of us became real friends," he said.A recurring concern among the youth is the uncertainty over the authenticity of online personas.
Many question how one can truly know someone without meeting them face-to-face.
Yet, paradoxically, some find comfort in online friendships, citing a lower risk of disappointment due to the limited emotional investment at the outset.
Satyam Kumar, a resident of Nehru Nagar, prefers the same instant messaging platform for its group chat feature.
"Friends share memes and reels and that starts conversations without needing to talk constantly," he said.
Though he has numerous online acquaintances, he considers those connections relatively shallow. "Real closeness still needs real-world interaction," he added.
Dr Niska Sinha, a senior psychiatrist at IGIMS, Patna, describes today's digital friendships as characterised by an "easy connect, easy disconnect" dynamic.
"For younger children, what they see as friendship is often an addiction to online engagement," she observed.Dr Sinha acknowledged the positives of digital interaction, such as keeping in touch with distant friends, building communities for those who feel isolated, and connecting individuals with shared interests.
However, she warned that these interactions can lack emotional depth.
"The absence of non-verbal cues and emotional nuance online can hinder true understanding. Over-reliance on digital communication may paradoxically heighten feelings of loneliness," she said.She advises young people to use digital platforms as a supplement — not a substitute — for real-life interactions. "Don't hesitate to take breaks and invest time in nurturing friendships offline," she added.
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