Loneliness and its monetization

Can loneliness become a commodity? In an age of global loneliness epidemic, more and more companies and digital platforms are offering services designed to fill the emotional void — from apps for chatting with a “friend” to advanced simulation of close relationships. This phenomenon raises questions about the boundaries between supporting and exploiting human needs. Instead of building real bonds, we can increasingly pay for their illusion, which can further weaken the motivation to seek, often difficult and demanding, relationships with other people. Monetizing loneliness is thus becoming one of the more controversial aspects of technology's foray into the realm of well-being.