In the digital age, where online interactions profoundly shape human relationships, social media platforms must move beyond merely being tools for communication – they must become spaces that are built on human-centred principles, promote meaningful, emotionally intelligent connections and address (inter)personal feelings and needs. Among the most compelling efforts to embed compassion and empathy into platform design is Confinity, a platform that endeavours to exemplify how these core human values can be integrated into the very fabric of digital interactions – following a collaborative design approach and expert advisors’ consultations. By prioritising emotional well-being and fostering lasting human connections, Confinity presents a model for how digital platforms can create spaces that are not only functional but also deeply human-centred.

Compassionate design: A commitment to emotional legacy

Compassion, at its core, involves recognising and responding to the suffering of others with the desire to alleviate it [1, 2]. On social media platforms, this translates into creating environments where users can express vulnerability and share their experiences without fear of judgment or harm. Compassionate platform design fosters spaces where people feel safe to engage in meaningful conversations, exchange support, and form supportive communities. Confinity stands out as a compelling example of this model.

At the heart of its design is the principle of “compassionate preservation,” which aims to safeguard the emotional and social legacies of users. This approach addresses the emotional needs of individuals, particularly in contexts such as grief and bereavement, by offering tools for memory preservation that extend emotional continuity beyond physical absence. The platform’s “digital sanctuary” provides a space for users to heal and connect in times of loss, illustrating a commitment to compassion in its design.

However, Confinity’s approach to compassionate preservation is not limited to grief – it can support users facing a variety of emotional challenges, from loneliness to mental health struggles. For example, by enabling the creation of personalised memorial spaces, Confinity allows users to continue their relationships with loved ones through respectful digital means, while also offering tools for reflection and connection with others in similar emotional contexts. The platform’s focus on providing emotional safety and continuity highlights its potential to meet a broader range of user needs, reinforcing the idea that compassionate design should address both the transient and ongoing emotional requirements of its community.

As one of Confinity’s core offerings, digital afterlife [3] technologies help users navigate the complexities of grief, creating environments where memories are preserved in ways that provide comfort rather than emotional exploitation. By transforming the process of remembering into a compassionate act, Confinity ensures that users are not just preserving memories for posterity, but doing so in a way that nurtures emotional resilience and longer inter-generational ties. This approach aligns with the principle of “continuing bonds”, which maintains that the relationships we hold dear can endure and evolve through digital interactions, providing users with a sense of continuity and emotional connection long after a loved one has passed.

This focus on “emotional well-being” goes beyond typical platform features – it actively shapes the way individuals process grief, with the platform providing both an emotional and a social framework for users to engage with their memories and relationships. In a world where digital platforms often profit from users’ personal data without regard for emotional implications, Confinity stands out by making “compassionate connection” its foundational principle.

Empathy as a bridge across digital divides

While compassion addresses suffering, empathy fosters understanding and connection. Empathy involves actively putting oneself in the shoes of others, grasping their feelings, and understanding their perspectives. It is not only about ‘being with’ a person but also about sharing their emotional experience and understanding their worldview [4]. As a perspective-sharing process, empathy naturally facilitates compassion by encouraging care and response to others’ needs. On social media platforms, empathy promotes positive, respectful dialogue and enriches mutual learning by creating space for diverse perspectives. Empathy-driven design, therefore, can play a critical role in de-escalating conflicts, preventing harm, and fostering communities grounded in mutual understanding and respect.

On Confinity, empathy is not a passive value but an active, guiding principle that shapes the platform’s user interactions. As highlighted in the platform’s design philosophy, empathy creates “generational bridges”, connecting users across diverse backgrounds and life experiences. The ability to share stories and memories enables individuals from different age groups and cultural contexts to see the world through one another’s eyes, fostering deeper understanding and mutual respect. That is, Confinity takes this a step further with its commitment to building spaces where users can feel seen, heard, and respected – a core element of empathetic interaction. This goes beyond simple features like emoji reactions; it requires a carefully curated environment that encourages users to engage with one another on a deeper, more personal level. The platform’s focus on “uniting generations” demonstrates empathy as a tool for cross-generational dialogue.

In a time when many digital platforms exacerbate divisions between generations, Confinity’s empathetic design offers a counterpoint, fostering connection through shared narratives and lived experiences. Whether through small gestures, like well-placed emojis or more profound tools for storytelling, Confinity demonstrates how empathy can create respectful, meaningful dialogue even in a digital context.

Moreover, the integration of empathy in Confinity’s platform design is not just a passing feature; it is embedded in the social practice of the platform. The language used in platform interactions, from the invitation to share personal memories to the careful crafting of digital spaces that hold emotional significance, reinforces empathy not as a superficial emotion, but as a deliberate and thoughtful design choice that underscores the platform’s commitment to creating emotionally enriching experiences. This empathetic approach encourages positive and respectful dialogue, making such a digital platform a place where users can feel a sense of belonging and emotional validation.