Although I'm not acquainted with the whole situation, the game is currently bugged at some points. You might not be able to see all your friends who are online. The hometown is also bugged. I didn't really understand by what you meant by 'chat doesn't say anything', though. However, I'm not the right person to guide you about this. I'd suggest you join the Rise server on Discord ( if you haven't already). Everything new ( Bug-fixes and updates, alike) are announced there. You might also be able to report your issue.
Note: I hope this answer also helps with the thread you've posted regarding 'hometown' being bugged.