In November 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared loneliness a “global public health concern” — not because it feels bad, but because it’s as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
This isn’t a metaphor.
It’s a medical fact.
And yet, no app truly helps adults make real, platonic, local friends — safely, joyfully, and sustainably.
That’s why The Ties isn’t just another app.
It’s a response to one of the most urgent human crises of our time.
The Loneliness Epidemic Is Worsening — Fast
The numbers are staggering:
- 36% of American adults report chronic loneliness — including 61% of young adults (Harvard, 2021)
- From 1990 to 2010, the number of Americans with zero close confidants tripled
- By 2024, 24% of high school graduates (non-college-educated) report having zero close friends — up from just 3% in 1990 (The New York Times, 2024)
- In Europe, 8.6% of adults report frequent loneliness
- In Australia, self-reported loneliness rose 8% between 2009 and 2021
This isn’t just emotional pain.
It’s a public health disaster.
As U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy warned in his 2023 advisory:
Loneliness increases the risk of:
- Heart disease by 29%
- Stroke by 32%
- Dementia by 50%
- Premature death — as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day
Why Did This Happen?
Loneliness didn’t appear overnight. It’s the result of decades of systemic erosion — a collapse of the social fabric that once held us together.
1. The Collapse of Community
In 2000, Robert D. Putnam’s Bowling Alone revealed a disturbing trend: Americans were bowling more — but in leagues, less.
We stopped joining:
- Church groups
- Unions
- PTAs
- Neighborhood associations
And with them, we lost the “social capital” that once sustained us.
2. Technology That Connects — and Isolates
Social media promised connection. Instead, it replaced deep bonds with shallow ones.
As Capita’s 2022 report “The Ties That Bind and Nurture” found:
“The overuse of digital and social media… reduces real-life interactions and deepens feelings of isolation.”
And Gen Z — the most connected generation — reports lower engagement in community activities than any before it.
3. Individualism and Economic Inequality
Western societies, especially the U.S., have long celebrated the individual — but at the cost of the collective.
As Robert Bellah warned in Habits of the Heart:
American individualism weakens communal bonds, leaving people adrift.
And Chris Arnade’s Dignity shows how economic inequality isolates those in low-wage communities — not because they’re “bad at socializing,” but because our systems fail them.
A Global Crisis
This isn’t just an American problem.
- Europe: 8.6% of adults report frequent loneliness; 20.8% are socially isolated (EU, 2021)
- Australia: Self-reported loneliness rose 8% between 2009 and 2021
- UK: Appointed a Minister for Loneliness in 2018 — the first government to treat it as a policy issue
Loneliness is now a global public health priority — declared by WHO, Murthy, and Capita.
Why Existing Apps Fail
We have Bumble BFF, Meetup, Peanut, Patook — but none solve the core problem.
🚫 Bumble BFF
Feels like a dating app clone. Many users are actually looking for romance. No follow-up system → high ghosting.
🚫 Meetup
Focuses on events, not friendships. No nudges, no voice, no behavioral design.
🚫 Patook
Well-intentioned, but small user base. Feels like a dating app with rules.
None of them understand:
Friendship isn’t about swiping.
It’s about showing up.
The Ties: A New Kind of Solution
We built The Ties because the world needs a platonic-first, safety-first, behaviorally-smart platform for real friendship.
Here’s how it works:
🎙️ Voice Intros (15-sec)
No curated bios. No photos. Just your voice — warm, honest, human.
Builds empathy faster than text or images.
👥 Group Hangouts First
No awkward 1-on-1s. Start with 3–4 people in public places — coffee walks, board game nights, dog park hangs.
Safe. Low-pressure. Joyful.
💬 Follow-Up Nudges
We send gentle prompts:
“Send a voice note: ‘That was fun!’”
“Ask them to hang out again.”
Because ghosting kills connection — and we’re here to prevent it.
🤝 Platonic-First, Always
No DMs until 2 group hangouts.
No romance allowed.
Just real friendship — no dates, no drama.
Why This Works
| Feature | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Voice Intros | Builds empathy — proven to reduce anxiety |
| Group Hangouts | Safe, low-pressure, mimics real-life bonding |
| Nudges | Prevents disconnection — backed by behavioral science |
| No DMs Early | Protects users from harassment and romantic pressure |
| Local Circles | “Remote Workers,” “New in NYC,” “Introvert Hangouts” — find your people |
This isn’t just an app.
It’s a digital public health intervention.
A Movement, Not Just an App
The Ties is not trying to replace human connection.
It’s trying to restore it — in a world where:
- Community is broken
- Technology isolates
- Individualism reigns
- Loneliness kills
We’re not here to fix you.
We’re here to help you find the people who get you.
And when a remote worker in Austin, a new parent in Melbourne, or a city transplant in Lisbon says:
“I made a real friend on The Ties,”
— that’s not just a win.
It’s a public health victory.
🤝 Join the Movement
The world is ready for a new kind of connection.
We’re building The Ties — a platform where:
- No one eats alone
- No one has to say “I’m lonely”
- Everyone can belong
Join the waitlist today.
Be part of the solution.
👉 Join the Waitlist
💬 “The Ties helped me make my first friend in a new city.” – Alex, Austin
📚 Sources
- WHO: Loneliness is a global public health concern (2023)
- U.S. Surgeon General: Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (2023)
- Capita: The Ties That Bind and Nurture (2022)
- Holt-Lunstad et al. (2010): Social Relationships and Mortality Risk
- The New York Times: Loneliness Is Especially Common Among Americans Without a College Degree (2024)
The Ties isn’t just an app.
It’s the antidote to the loneliness epidemic.
Will you help us rebuild the ties that bind?