In China, young people are increasingly using social media not only to connect with friends, but also to pay strangers to talk to them.

As society becomes more and more atomized, users of the social platform Xiaohongshu have started using the hashtag “chat companion” to find others willing to buy or sell a few minutes of human conversation.

“Is anyone available to chat? I will pay whatever it takes,” read a recent post tagged with the hashtag. Within hours, the user received dozens of responses from people offering their services.

As the country’s unique population skyrockets, more and more are turning to various forms of paid companionship – from chatting with strangers online to virtual role-playing games.

This burgeoning economy is a “response to China’s changing demographics,” said Wang Pan, associate professor of Chinese and Asian studies at the University of New South Wales and author of the book. Love and Marriage in Globalizing China.