Exclusive: Your group chat knows you better than your family does
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Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
Over half of Gen Z smartphone users say their group chat knows more about their daily lives than their families do, according to a survey commissioned by GIF search engine Giphy.
Why it matters: These mobile social circles are becoming the new dinner table, where connections are formed and life updates are discussed.
State of play: Using Censuswide, Giphy surveyed 2,000 U.S. smartphone users, Sept. 1–15, and shared the findings exclusively with Axios.
By the numbers: The GIF library found 79% of people share major life updates with their group chats before their families, and 90% do so before they post on social media.
- When it comes to major life decisions, like career changes or relationships, approximately 89% of both Gen Z and millennial respondents said they consult their group chat before making the final call.
- More men (45%) than women (32%) reported that their group chat knows more about their daily lives than their families do.
Zoom in: The highest number of respondents who said they prefer to share major life updates in the group chat live in Denver (88%), and the lowest number live in Indianapolis (66%).
- Most people who say their group chats know more about their daily lives than their families do reside in Los Angeles (47%), while Chicagoans (34%) were at the lowest end of the spectrum.
What they're saying: "Group chats have become the go-to for sharing life updates because they're where our closest circles already live," Tyler Menzel, VP of content for Giphy, tells Axios.
- "They're where our day-to-day conversations are happening, in real time, with the people we interact with the most."
My thought bubble: As an LA-based millennial, I can confirm my group chat is where life updates, weekend plans and daily advice all go first.
