Gen Z Seeks Authentic Connections - Video Chat Apps like Azar Are Bridging the Gap

A new nationwide study by Azar reveals Gen Z's struggles with loneliness and the potential of video platforms to foster genuine connections.

SEOUL, South Korea, Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Azar, the one-to-one video chat platform connecting millions worldwide, today announces the results of its Loneliness in America Survey that reveals how Gen Z experiences loneliness and how video chat apps like Azar can help boost well-being and combat feelings of isolation. The study sheds light on the causes of loneliness, the toll it takes on mental and physical health and how digital platforms can play a pivotal role in addressing it.

With Azar, users can easily meet and chat in real-time with people from around the world, offering a safer and more accessible way to meaningfully interact and foster a sense of belonging. Azar's algorithm matches like-minded people, which allows them to explore based on gender and country, gives them more control over who they chat with, and increases the opportunity for a more personalized connection. And consumers can feel safer doing it. Through proprietary AI technology and real-time moderation, Azar blocks potentially harmful content and allows users to report or block behavior in real-time too. 

"Gen Z values authentic, meaningful connections, and Azar is uniquely positioned to provide them," said Linda Kim, CEO of Hyperconnect®. "By fostering engaging interactions and a sense of community, we aim to empower our users with experiences that enrich their lives and build lasting relationships."

Key Survey Findings:

A survey of Gen Z Americans (ages 18–27) uncovered the following insights:

Gen Z's Desire for Connections

• 40% of respondents rate their ability to make casual conversation below 7 out of 10.
• 57% of respondents report feeling more isolated than other generations.
• Respondents experience loneliness an average of four times a week, with 1 in 7 feeling lonely daily.
• A third of respondents saying loneliness affects their motivation throughout the week (34%)

How Gen Z is Cultivating Meaningful Connections

• Respondents most commonly make friends through social media (51%), mutual friends (44%) or work (39%)
• More respondents try to do something that will boost their mood (37%) as opposed to sitting with their feelings until it passes (31%).
• 2 in 3 respondents said that engaging in casual chit-chat (or " yapping") with others has a positive impact on their mental well-being. 

Video Chat Platforms as Effective Connection Tools

• 49% of respondents agree that video chat apps are effective in helping them feel more connected. 
• 62% of respondents believe video chat apps are just as, if not more, effective at combating loneliness compared to other popular methods of socializing
  • 54% of respondents said that video chatting is helpful in allowing them to feel less lonely/more connected to others.
  • And 56% of respondents said that video chat platforms are important in creating a more connected community within their generation.
• 40% of respondents have used a video chat app to meet someone new based on similar interests.
• Respondents would utilize a video chat app that allows them  to meet someone new to have fun (24%) or meet people with similar interests (31%).

"Gen Z knows the dangers and the realities of loneliness, and they're searching for ways to create the meaningful social connections that are the antidote," said Azar's Scientific Advisor Dr. Deborah Gilboa. "Gen Z will turn, as they have their entire lives, to social media for answers to the obstacles they face, and Azar takes the social possibilities to a healthier, more fundamentally useful opportunity to create connections, not just collect contacts."

Real Life Impact

Azar makes it possible to connect instantly with like-minded individuals from around the globe through real-time video chats. For example, one user shared:

'Azar is really fun. I met a lot of cool people on there, and we have hung out a lot too, so this app is really just a life changer for me because it's hard for me to make friends in real life, so this app really helps my life.'  - Azar User in California

These stories show the power of Azar in fostering not only cultural exchange, but also meaningful relationships, providing new opportunities to users seeking connection in an increasingly isolated world.

About Hyperconnect^® 

Hyperconnect^®, headquartered in South Korea, is a global video streaming platform company founded in 2014, with world-class skills in video communication and AI. Hyperconnect^®'s flagship service, "Azar", is a leading global video messaging service offered in 18 languages worldwide. Hyperconnect^® is part of Match Group, a leading provider of digital technologies designed to help people make meaningful connections. For more information, visit https://hyperconnect.com/. 

SOURCE Azar