Smartphones – “Connectors” of Social Relationships

– **Instant messaging reshapes social interaction**: Facebook, WhatsApp, etc. allow communication to break through the limitations of time and space, but also give rise to social anxiety of “read but not reply”;
– **Social media builds virtual identities**: Instagram likes become a new generation of social currency;
– **Online communities form new cultural circles**: B station barrage culture, Douyin grass-planting economy, etc. derive unique culture.
**Case**: During the epidemic, Zoom meetings and family WeChat groups have become the lifeline for maintaining interpersonal relationships.