New social apps want to help young consumers “feel better about themselves.” 

New social apps want to help young consumers “feel better about themselves.” As debates grow around the ways social networks impact mental health, newcomers are prioritizing being safe spaces. For example, messaging app Ikaria’s environment will change based on who the user is chatting with, whether a parent, friend, or significant other, and will offer appropriate prompts to initiate certain discussions. The app’s founders are working with psychologists to make sure they have a positive effect on users’ well-being, and say, “[t]he future of social is bespoke and relationship-focused.” (The Verge)