When my friend and I talk over voice chat, his family’s voices (mother and sisters) can be heard in the background When I tell him that this is not befitting, he says he doesn’t have space in the apartment to be alone, and that he doesn’t see an issue in this as it is from culture and not Islam.

Ustadh AbdulAziz al-Haqqan

You're correct. This is not befitting at all.