Hello everyone. So this year has me feeling very isolated and I’m thinking about how easy it used to be to meet people online and how difficult it’s become to do so. There used to be tons of good places to meet people but internet culture has changed so much that now it’s virtually impossible. Even places like OkCupid (which used to be great for meeting new people, both platonically and otherwise) has devolved into a tinder-esque swipefest.

What are some good places to meet people online nowadays? Obviously fediverse/FOSS sorts of places are preferred but not 100% necessary. I just need new friends.

  • @BlackCentipede@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    83 years ago

    Situation changed quite a lot this year with covid-19, so it is definitely much harder to go out and find friends. Normally, I would recommend joining up some “Meetup” sessions that matches your interests so you can join up with group of people and find friends through there.

    Nowadays though? You probably have some lucks with book reading club online, online chat, gaming “guild” and stuff like that, but you have to roll a dice on it and hope you get someone sane from such group. I rolled a dice on it a few times ie flying out and renting hotel to meet them (to play a sort of LAN Party and other stuff) and it worked out few times that I end up being friend with them.

    • Travis SkaalgardOP
      link
      fedilink
      4
      edit-2
      3 years ago

      Yeah, I should look more into organized activities like that. I’m technically in the SCA too but that’s basically on hiatus worldwide due to the plague.

    • Travis SkaalgardOP
      link
      fedilink
      43 years ago

      I mostly just play games with friends I already have, unfortunately :/

      I’m going to try to get back into MMORPGs for almost exactly this purpose. There’s actually a pretty cool FOSS MMO called Ryzom I’ve been trying to get into.

      • @Echedenyan@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        33 years ago

        When you play, notify me. I use to play, but hardly ever recently. I would like to find more people.

        I still didn’t finish the beginner part :)))))

      • @Titilonic@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        1
        edit-2
        3 years ago

        Heard Read that it’s a grindfest with the occasional elite player where you must have friends to play with. It’s probably better than other FOSS MMOs though (looking at you Stendhal).

        • Travis SkaalgardOP
          link
          fedilink
          23 years ago

          I’ve actually played a little bit of Stendhal, lol. It’s not terrible but there didn’t seem to be anyone else on…

          • @Titilonic@lemmy.ml
            link
            fedilink
            1
            edit-2
            3 years ago

            The one time I found more (like 4-8) people on the first town was on Christmas day. Sure it’s supposed to have an “old school feel” but that doesn’t mean that its usability must adhere to that mantra. It reminds me of Furcadia in that aspect, despite the second being an MMOSG (social MMO) where most players are idling in an 18+ area and use it more for chatting.

    • @Kamui@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      43 years ago

      This used to be a great way for me to connect online with others. I’m gonna have to try this out again. I just gotta find a good multiplayer game to get into (I’ve mostly played single player games my whole life).

  • @Kamui@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    43 years ago

    Same bruh, same… though I feel I’ve always had difficulty meeting people, online or off.

    • Travis SkaalgardOP
      link
      fedilink
      33 years ago

      I feel like there was a golden age in the late 2000s and early 2010s when people were actively seeking to meet new people over the internet and it was very easy to do so. Nowadays people pretty much just use the internet to keep in touch with people they already know, with the exception of things like Tinder and OkCupid, which are increasingly only allowing users to meet people local to them. It’s strange. It’s not the world I thought we’d have in 2020.

      • @xe8@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        23 years ago

        I know in my case, the Internet was a very different place in the past - where you could jump into a different persona, and had a feeling of freedom to connect with people. Post-Snowden I’m hyper-aware that everything I do and say is being tracked, flagged, and analysed by corporations and the state. I find myself self-censoring and it has a Chilling Effect on what I do and say. It’s become more difficult to trust and be open online.

        • Travis SkaalgardOP
          link
          fedilink
          23 years ago

          It changed before Snowden, I think. The character of the internet was already being corrupted.

  • @Micalet@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    3
    edit-2
    3 years ago

    A instace of Mastodon whith your likes as FOSStodon if you like FOSS - not great for pick up FOSS girls as they still are a minority there - is good to know new people.

    • Travis SkaalgardOP
      link
      fedilink
      23 years ago

      I’ve definitely had more luck meeting people on Mastodon (and I suppose Matrix) than other platforms but people on those two platforms tend to be… a type :p

  • @developred@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    33 years ago

    Community forums for your hobbies are a good start. I’ve never been great at making connections with people but I have some people I keep up with from various discussion forums from 2010-2015.

  • @xe8@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    23 years ago

    I find it’s better to meet people through an interest so you at least establish some things in common. Join a martial arts class, a maker space, photography group, language class, socialist org, union, etc.

    • Travis SkaalgardOP
      link
      fedilink
      43 years ago

      If nothing else it gives you a good casus verbi. Of course moving from activity-related talk to actual friendmaking is difficult.

      • @xe8@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        23 years ago

        Yes. Making friends is never easy and takes time. Most people have very few good friends. If you make one or two friends you can connect with then that’s great. In a group where you all share a common interest you’re likely to find one person who it’s easy to communicate with.