The rise of digital well-being

byTommyVTE

986 followers

5 years ago

The technology trend of 2018?

For once, no new smartphone, revolutionary software update or hip app. The central product at the technology festivals of recent weeks such as Google I / O, Facebook F8 and Apple's WWDC was ... our well-being.

That is no coincidence.

The dark sides of digital technology are coming to light more and more. Such as smartphone addiction, hate messages on social media or fake news.

Although the turning point might be the Cambridge Analytica scandal, personal data from Facebook users was used in a devious way for political purposes. That Zuckerberg was allowed to come and explain it in the American Senate and the European Parliament before the eyes of the world.

Silicon Valley has not escaped. Facebook says sorry, Apple promises privacy and Google launches an action plan for digital well-being.

Digital wellbeing must protect the user from the negative effects of technology.

For example, Apple and Google provide a dashboard in their latest software that gives you an overview of your smartphone usage.

You can also set a time limit for yourself or your children so that the use of certain apps is limited in time.

This has to stop smartphone addiction.

Another aspect of digital well-being is attention. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings once claimed that his only competitor is our sleep. Some companies such as Dopamine Labs - now changed name to Boundless AI - even specialize in making applications more addictive by constantly asking your attention through all kinds of reports and updates.

Following these reports will release dopamine in your brain, similar to ticking off a checklist. Only those checklists have become endless like the endless newsfeeds from social networks. Our attention is becoming scarce and is increasingly going to a screen.

"Also from Silicon Valley there is increasing criticism of the way digital technology constantly begs for our attention."

Silicon Valley is also increasingly criticizing the way in which digital technology constantly begs for our attention. Former Google programmer James Williams today is pulling out of the world like a regret, to warn of the consequences of the attention economy.

The digital giants are now partly responding to that, yes, digital tools. Such as by making it easier to temporarily no longer receive notifications. For example, by turning your smartphone away (Android) or when driving by car (Apple). Dealing with the negative aspects of technology is therefore also possible with the help of technology.

In part, you might call the digital change of course rumbling in the margins. Not long after the data scandal, Facebook again became discredited after they tried to convince their users in the wake of the GDPR legislation to allow facial recognition. So there is still a long way to go.

Nevertheless, there is no denying that digital ethics is emerging in the discourse and strategy of Big Tech. Apple and Microsoft today talk about privacy as a core value and a human right.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently published a blog about the principles behind the artificial intelligence (AI) that the company develops. In this way, AI must always provide social benefits and be accountable to people. Whether Google will stay true to its principles remains to be seen.

But that the language use of Big Tech changes and that they make their values explicit is a good sign. Because 'Words create worlds'. Promises about values increase the price and damage when you do not apply them.

Even we are all eager to succeed, but sometimes we need a small break from the digital world.

Health Provide Wealth

Have a great day

Tommy