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Comment by ademup | Hacker News Reader

$100\mo NOT to talk with your family? Not a bad deal financially. Also... Not good ethically. I HATE this idea with every single fiber of my being. "Dial a friend" will never ever replace connections born of shared experiences. I will get downvoted to hell: but fuck you. Full stop.

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I don't think it's fair to say "fuck you" to the OP.

They didn't create the situation where millions of old people have been basically cast out by their families. Yes, they're profiting from a shitty situation, and perhaps their proposed solution is ineffective, but that's more than most people are going about it.

Then please explain why they ask for your elderly loved one's phone and email before payment. This is a scam (or RIPE for scamming), and I truly hope you and yours don't get duped (and feel loved!)

Your original post complained about "Dial a friend" being a bad substitute for a real relationship (I agree). It didn't mention scamming at all.

It is not a good situation, but OP didn't create the problem and he isn't going to get people to call their parents more often.

Imagine not being you, and not having a family.

Imagine being in your 80s or 90s and being called by someone your daughter paid $100\mo to call you because they couldn't be bothered to spend 10 minutes of their precious time to do it themselves.

Imagine knowing no one on the planet, and the crushing loneliness of dying slowly and alone and being able to pay for a chance to meet someone to form a friendship with.

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