Don’t Talk to Strangers? These Apps Encourage It. – The Wall Street Journal, The Wall Street Journal

A breed of upstart apps is taking on an internet function that might seem unneeded or even ill-advised: helping teens talk to strangers.

Branded as “social discovery” services, these apps pitch themselves as alternatives to outlets that already specialize in online connections, like Facebook and Instagram. They say they are better at helping young users meet like-minded people outside their existing circles. And they say they have safeguards, such as separating users by age and using artificial intelligence, to protect against …