Digital & Real Twin Pets: How Loneliness Economy is Fueling a Bizarre New Trend
In 2024, as loneliness becomes a global epidemic, Gen Z is embracing an unexpected solution: owning both a virtual pet in the metaverse and its genetically cloned real-life counterpart. Dubbed “Twin Pet Parenting,” this trend is exploding on TikTok (#DigitalClonePets, 420M views) , where young adults showcase their “phygital” (physical+digital) companions. But is this emotional Band-Aid a heartwarming innovation…