Snap Inc. the parent company of Snapchat, has released its second global Friendship Report, exploring how global issues including the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted friendship and communication in 2020.

The findings showed how “social” is being inserted back into social media, with the majority of Aussies using online channels to connect with friends more than ever, and even build new relationships when physical meets aren’t always possible.

Off the back of the findings, Snap has launched the Friendship Time Capsule, a collaborative photo collage allowing Snapchatters to create a new shared memory between themselves and a friend.

Aussie pop band, Shepperd, has already thrown their support behind the new Lens, releasing Snaps to celebrate their own friendship.

Amy, Emma and Geroge Sheppard say that digital communication platforms such as Snapchat have enabled them to remain connected during the craziness of 2020.

“We’ve always been such big fans of Snapchat and this year we have experienced first hand its ability to help us  connect and collaborate with one another as siblings and bandmates. We’ve found that Snapchat is a digital platform where we can be the unfiltered and more ‘real’ versions of ourselves with our friends. It’s so easy to send quick video messages to each other on Snapchat. Whether it’s silly faces and dog ears to try or even a quick video of a new musical idea, Snapchat is where we can chat and let off some steam.”

Over 1,500 Australians took part in the global friendship study, which shows how social media is being used to connect friends and even build new relationships when physical meets aren’t always possible.

Australian data from the global friendship report reveals:

• Digital communication has been key to combating Australia’s loneliness pandemic. While the majority (53%) of Australians feel lonely when they can’t spend in-person time with friends, almost three quarters (73%) say digital communication has helped them stay connected with friends. Two thirds (66%) say they’re interacting with friends online and almost half (45%) are connecting with friends they haven’t spoken to in a while.

• We’re also using the pandemic to reconnect with lost friends. 78% agree digital communication has helped them reconnect with lost friends. Not surprisingly, 62% said they prefer digital communication when connecting with lost friends.

• Beyond digital communication, moving cities, moving to a new school or joining a club/sports team could be the key to making new friends. When asked which life experiences lead to making new friends, respondents listed “moving to a new city” (65%),  “moving to a new school” (62%) and “joining a club or sports team” (59%) as their top choices. “Leaving a job” (5%) and “getting married” (19%) were the least likely experiences that lead to making new friends.

• Support can be delivered in a simple Snap. 79% of Aussies agree digital communication has helped them maintain their friendships during isolation / COVID-19, with 64% saying there would be people who they would lose connection with if it wasn’t for online contact. From a Snapchat perspective, respondents said features such as sharing unique Snaps (41%) and Augmented Reality (30%) experiences help improve their friendships. 38% of respondents say if it wasn’t for digital communication, they wouldn’t have anything to talk about with their friends.

• Beyond digital communication, moving cities, moving to a new school or joining a club/sports team could be the key to making new friends. When asked which life experiences lead to making new friends, respondents listed “moving to a new city” (65%),  “moving to a new school” (62%) and “joining a club or sports team” (59%) as their top choices. “Leaving a job” (5%) and “getting married” (19%) were the least likely experiences that lead to making new friends.

Kathryn Carter, General Manager for ANZ, SEA & HK, at Snap Inc. shared, “As friends around the world navigate the new normal of social distancing, this year’s Friendship Report shows us that during the COVID-19 pandemic visual communication has become more important than ever.”

“Talking in pictures and videos layered with creative tools like our augmented reality Lenses, Filters, and personal avatars Bitmoji, help Snapchatters express themselves and interact visually. They serve as an essential connector when meeting face to face is not an option and at this difficult time have enabled Snapchatters to feel closer to their best friends even as non-Snapchatters feel more distant.”

“We hope that new features like our Friendship Time Capsule will continue to help Snapchatters stay close with their best friends and support one another.”