Real friendships in virtual world. How Gen Z meets new friends? What does it mean for the world of advertising?

In the past, you used to meet new friends on the playground or at school. Now there is one more, very big place available: the Internet with social media and games.
For 26% of Gen Z, online and offline worlds and relationships are connected and identical. More than 40% of teenagers in the United States admit that they met a friend through Fortnite. The Facebook group "Jak będzie w Akapie?" has over 300 thematic sections where alliances, romances, and friendships are formed during discussions that go far beyond comments on the platform. The vast majority of live-stream viewers admit that they watch the streamer because they simply like the person, and 75% of them are active in the chat with other viewers. At first glance all this makes you think that "the world has gone crazy".  

But the truth is quite different.

Why do we watch other people do ordinary things on live broadcasts?
Why are Facebook groups and Discords such a 'serious business'?
How do you know that an influencer really has an impact and not just reach?
What can brands learn from this and how to translate it into everyday work?

I invite you to travel to the far corners of social media.
I'll talk about examples, insights and maybe make you think that these kids aren't that cut off from reality but they just perceive it different from us.