Perth's Young Adults Ditch Smartphones to Combat Loneliness with Offline Social Events and Chatbots

Perth's young people are ditching their smartphones to tackle the rising tide of loneliness. Events like The Elsewhere Club, a weekly "offline catchup," are connecting lonely young adults. A survey found one in six Australians would rather speak with a chatbot than go out with friends, and nearly one in seven could imagine falling in love with one. Experts say loneliness is on the rise for young adults due to the increasing convenience and comfort of the online world.