The apps promised to connect us. Instead, they taught us to ghost, block and diagnose, writes Billie-Rose Francis, who is navigating a very 2026 world when it comes to how young men and women connect.
Incels. Red flags. Icks. Situationships. Avoidant attachment.
These are the words shaping how young men and women are connecting in 2026.
As a young woman, I can see how the apps and devices that were “connecting us more” have instead fuelled judgement and disconnect in real-life social settings. Our social skills are declining as we overthink interaction, fearing rejection if we aren’t tall, attractive, funny or too nonchalant to meet someone’s expectations.
Instead of approaching people in person, many turn to social media and dating apps, where blocking, ghosting and leaving someone on read have become normal ways of avoiding uncomfortable conversations. Social media has also given us labels that claim to explain dating behaviour but encourage us to overanalyse it. Terms like “avoidant attachment” can lead people to diagnose rather than develop emotional skills, while platforms dedicated to sharing “icks” make young people afraid to be themselves for fear of ridicule.
We obsess over message timings, active statuses and social cues, judging ourselves and others on moments that rarely define a person’s character. While social media has expanded our social circles, it has also created a generation that is more connected online but disconnected in real life.
As a young woman graduating school in 2025, I felt empowered. I know not all women my age feel this way, but I’m glad society has started to uplift us and give us the empowerment and opportunities that we can excel in. However, I think this inherently creates a generation of women who are no longer staying in relationships because they need financial security. Women my age are more independent, financially and through the opportunities we experience, meaning that our standards for the men we choose to pursue romantically have risen.
Last year, Vogue published an article that the consensus for Gen Z women is that ‘having a boyfriend is embarrassing’. Despite the majority of my girlfriends having a boyfriend, I think women are relying less on men to fulfil their lives. Yes, I still believe that everyone deserves love and companionship, but at the same time, I also believe that romantic love has become less of a priority in our lives because we are finally able to pursue the opportunities and experiences that women generations ago could not.
Another factor that has influenced connection in our society is the misogyny of the manosphere. A movement directed towards the lost and confused young men who feel they don’t fit into these ‘perfect’ standards. Instead, promotion around looksmaxxing creates a sense of community and an ability to pursue the ‘unrealistic’ and ‘perfect’ expectations that women have supposedly created for men.
Social media figures like Andrew Tate and Clavicular promote to men and boys that they will only be desirable if they look perfect and are rich. This then creates a reality that causes men to feel fearful when interacting with women if they haven’t reached these unrealistic standards. Rather than encouraging self-reflection or respectful relationships, many manosphere influencers frame women as the cause of men’s problems. The spectrum between hypermasculine men and less masculine men leaves anyone left in the middle to be confused as to what their place is in society. Therefore, social media becomes a place where they can gain a sense of control on how they’re portrayed, how good or flirty the conversation is and who in their ‘league’ they can engage with.
We all have a role to play in changing this dynamic between young men and women. I believe shows like ‘Adolescence’ and Louis Theroux’s recent documentary ‘Inside the Manosphere’, have played an important role in shining a light on the potential danger of misogynistic ideologies in both men and women’s lives. Social media is already creating a disconnect between us, and if opinions of the manosphere continue to be prevalent in our generation, it can only lead to a greater disconnect and harm.
I believe organisations like ManUp, and the Future Female Leaders program have enabled greater education and support for young women and men to feel empowered in society. Establishing education to support men’s mental health and empowering men and women to be purpose-driven enables the creation of a generation that seeks to support and care for each other rather than be disconnected by hateful opinions online.
I think by introducing these networks and education into our schools and as programs can enable intervention before these hateful opinions are believed by young men and women. Ultimately, algorithms shouldn’t be raising our sons or shaping our daughters’ expectations of love; instead, we need to start teaching young people how to communicate, cope with rejection and build genuine emotional resilience. Thus, we can no longer hide behind the safety net of social media; rather, we must grow the courage to be ourselves in a world trapped by the fear of rejection.
Billie-Rose Francis wrote this piece during her internship with UN Women Australia, secured as the Western Australian winner of the 2026 National Schools Competition. Find out more about the competition and the National Schools Program here — details for 2027 coming soon