#davos2016

[lordnightmares]

Davos wins for best quotes this season

[charterofthegenome-blog]

A Right To Stay Human?

According to some accounts, many of our problems can be traced to this moment: “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” M…

I’m sure we can all agree that the fate of the nature of humanity is best left to committees to deliberate.

[stannisislovestannisislife]

Why are we still here ? Just to suffer? Every night I feel my finger and ...my finger nails even my onions. The Son I've lost... The King I've lost ... won't stop hurting... it's like they're all still there.You feel it, too, don't you? I'm gonna make the Boltons give back our past.

[digitalmediainsights]

Will we cease to digitize our relationships?

According to a 2015 World Economic Forum survey of 5,000 digital media users of all demographics in China, the US, Brazil, Germany, and South Africa, one third believe they should reduce their digital media usage.

This is a piece of good news, because it shows that we are generally conscious of the influence that the increasing use of digital media is having on our lives.

“There’s nothing wrong with our devices but the way we are using them is hurting empathy, intimacy - and in the work place - significant collaboration and creativity” says Sherry Turkle, Professor of the Social Studies of Science and Technology at MIT.

But many argue that their physical relationships have actually improved with digital media use. The same survey concluded that half of us believe digital media has improved our social lives.

The number of hours spent on social media continues to grow globally. According to GlobalWebIndex, in 2014, the average global user spent more than 6 hours online, compared to 5.5 hours in 2012; almost 2 hours were spent on social networking compared to just 1.5 in 2012.

At what point will the world reach its social media saturation point and what are the long-term impacts? Will humanity ever reject the convenience that digital media promises in our social interaction and relationship building and revert back to the physical?

You can view seven short videos about the societal implications of digital media and the impacts on various aspects of our lives:

How digital media is changing our lives How we consume and share Our digital presence and privacy Our personal development, learning, and health How our decisions are influenced Our professional lives How we engage civically

Find out more in the Forum's report, Digital Media & Society: Implications in a Hyperconnected Era.

NB: This post first appeared on the World Economic Forum’s Agenda

[digitalmediainsights]

Why Media needs social and behavioural sciences

Have you ever placed your toddler in front of a cartoon on your smart device because you thought it would calm her down? What about thinking that your 6-year-old would benefit greatly from a portable Playstation Vita?

Think again. Research has proven that a child's unguided use of digital media can alter their sociological, developmental and behavioural patterns in negative ways.

At the same time, many digital offerings from media, entertainment or information companies targeted at adults could be drastically improved. If you have ever used an app or visited a website that you felt was designed more for advertisers, rather than users, then you know what I mean.

In all of these cases, understanding the influencing factors behind human behaviour can be extremely helpful in making the right decisions. Whether you are a digital media product executive, a parent, or both, we all can benefit from more input from the social and behavioural sciences.

For industry, there are businesses such as SensoMotoric Instruments who provide human eye and gaze tracking systems, which can help digital media companies design and develop better user experiences for their audiences. For parents, most countries have civic organizations run by paediatricians or social scientists that are focused on helping prevent digital media overuse in children; a good example is Europe’s www.apprivoiserlesecrans.com.

Ultimately, being more aware of social and behavioural insights related to digital media use will make us better digital media professionals - and more responsible consumers.

You can view seven short videos about the societal implications of digital media and the impacts on various aspects of our lives:

How digital media is changing our lives How we consume and share How our decisions are influenced Our digital presence and privacy How we interact with one another Our professional lives How we engage civically

Find out more in the Forum's report, Digital Media & Society: Implications in a Hyperconnected Era.

NB: This post first appeared on the World Economic Forum’s Agenda

[digitalmediainsights]

How the digitization of work affects us all

Is the digitization of work ultimately good or bad for society? Now that’s a loaded question.

There are many aspects of digitally transformed work that can be considered good: increased mobility, less need of a dedicated work space, increased productivity from new tools: the list goes on. One interesting development cited in the World Economic Forum’s Digital Media and Society report is that digitization has enhanced the “flexibility for workers and employers, boosting productivity and enabling greater work-life integration”.

But is greater work-life integration actually good for us? Does blurring the boundaries of private and professional life enhance society? Perhaps this works wonders on employee and corporate performance, but the implications on family life and health leans more to the negative side, in my opinion. In fact, our tendency as humans is to never really “disconnect” from our digital productivity tools, a behaviour analogue with use of digital media for personal reasons.

Guy Standing, a British economist and author of The Percariat, argues that globalization “commodifies” everything, increasing the number of people doing insecure forms of work. The precariat works when and in whatever circumstances employers choose, creating short-term jobs that lead to a short-term lifestyle with little hope of building a future or a career.

In the media and entertainment industry, we have seen the gradual commoditization of premium content (the music industry as a case in point), so a similar effect on work and jobs could also be expected. Standing believes that because of its constant distractions, online connectivity conditions people towards a general short-term philosophy on life.

You can view seven short videos about the societal implications of digital media and the impacts on various aspects of our lives:

How digital media is changing our lives How we consume and share How our decisions are influenced Our digital presence and privacy How we interact with one another Our personal development, learning, and health How we engage civically

Find out more in the Forum's report, Digital Media & Society: Implications in a Hyperconnected Era.

NB: This post first appeared on the World Economic Forum’s Agenda

[digitalmediainsights]

Is digital media good for humanitarianism?

The rise of digital platforms, social media engagement, content sharing and viral marketing have drastically transformed civic participation and activism. Now, more than ever, we have massive levels of activity and engagement around many different kinds of social causes.

Many causes that traditionally have had little to no exposure or following can now become global phenomena and as our use of digital media increases the world will have more people who call themselves “digital humanitarians”. However, what are the implications for society? Is digital activism actually having a meaningful impact on the causes it is designed to support?

According to a World Economic Forum global survey conducted in 2015, approximately 49% of respondents believe that digital media has improved the amount and quality of their civic participation; but “most of the time, there’s that nagging suspicion that most people don’t feel connected to the issues that they care about. For example, signing a petition and donating money are not particularly meaningful actually in terms of supporting frontline activists on the ground,” states Sam Gregory of Witness, in an international organization that trains citizens around the world on how to use digital media for humanitarian efforts.

What we may be experiencing is an exponential increase in low-impact civic engagement, which is replacing higher-impact activism and essentially numbing our intents for making a real difference on the causes we care about. For example, just because I “liked” and I am following Save the Children’s Facebook page, I may be less inclined to actually sponsor a child because in a digital world I may be satisfied with my “virtual” support of causes. And in such cases, what is the actual benefit to society?

You can view seven short videos about the societal implications of digital media and the impacts on various aspects of our lives:

How digital media is changing our lives How we consume and share How our decisions are influenced Our digital presence and privacy How we interact with one another Our personal development, learning, and health Our professional lives

Find out more in the Forum's report, Digital Media & Society: Implications in a Hyperconnected Era.

NB: This post first appeared on the World Economic Forum’s Agenda

[digitalmediainsights]

Are we all media professionals now?

If you have ever shared an image, video or news article then you are a content distributor. If you’ve ever posted your thoughts on someone’s Facebook wall or uploaded your homemade video to YouTube, then you are also a content creator. In fact, I would argue that most people who engage with digital media today can be considered media and entertainment pros. Granted, in many cases this involves user-generated content (UGC), but it's entertainment or information nonetheless; some is of such exceptional quality that industry buys it, brands it and certifies it as premium.

The concept of defining different levels of participation in content in the form of a scale is now relevant, where simple consumption sits at the bottom, followed by sharing, shaping, funding, producing and ultimately co-owning. But this heighted level of engagement in media is not limited to just UGC . With our increasing use of digital media, we have ourselves become media channels, essentially marketing and distributing content created by industry. And as an emerging and important media channel, we are beginning to understand our value to industry, with our own rights, needs and preferences. But is industry adapting quickly enough?

You can view seven short videos about the societal implications of digital media and the impacts on various aspects of our lives:

How digital media is changing our lives How we engage civically How our decisions are influenced Our digital presence and privacy How we interact with one another Our personal development, learning, and health Our professional lives

Find out more in the Forum's report, Digital Media & Society: Implications in a Hyperconnected Era.

NB: This post first appeared on the World Economic Forum’s Agenda