Originally published: Mi3, 8 May 2025
Snapchat has commissioned a study to explore the dynamics of friendships among Australians, coinciding with Mates Day 2025.
The research, conducted by Pureprofile, surveyed 2006 Australians from various generations in April 2025. The findings suggest evolving trends in how Australians form and maintain friendships.
The study reveals that 44% of Australians do not have a best friend. This statistic points to a potential shift in the traditional concept of a ‘best friend’.
Dr Claire Madden, a social researcher, commented on this trend: “In the past, a ‘best friend’ was often formed around physical and geographic proximity – the family friend or the neighbour over the back fence. In today’s connected times, people can much more easily maintain a wider group of friendships. The traditional notion of a ‘best friend’ could be becoming less important as people can now effortlessly keep in touch with a broader circle of friends, finding fulfillment as part of a tribe, over one priority bond.”
