How civic groups are using online tools to fight social isolation in pandemic

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to upend American life, social lives are vanishing. Coffee shop dates have been traded for quarantines, face-to-face meetings exchanged for physical distance. Real conversations and opportunities for social connection outside of the immediate family are scarce.

Connecting online seems like the logical solution, but has often been an ineffective alternative. Internet communication can easily be dominated by division and tribalism, and as a pandemic and a divisive election year converge, many fear division will only worsen.

In response, a wave of new technology and tools...