The year is 2030. Healthy tech habits gain momentum

Smartphones and social media have many benefits in keeping us informed, in-touch and entertained, but there is widespread acknowledgement that they can also impact mental health - especially among young people. Gen Z and Millennials are more likely than other generations to feel technology and social media has a direct impact on their mental health – 27% and 19% respectively, according to a 2023 McKinsey study. This increases for those that spend more than two hours a day on social media.

Protecting Gen Alpha

We are already seeing Governments, society, and parents working to protect Gen Alpha - born from 2010 onwards - from the challenges faced by Gen Z and Millennials. These efforts will gain momentum as we head towards 2030, with platforms facing pressure to build on current safeguards to further protect young people online, reinforce tools for parents and educate people of all ages about how to have a healthy relationship with social media.

“The brands and the agencies that will thrive the most are going to be the ones that can bring young people together again… there’s this human desire we all want to feel of being part of a society.”

Kian Bakhtiari, Founder, The People

How to future-proof for 2030

Stay attuned to attitudes. Advertisers, media owners and platforms must closely monitor shifts in audience attitudes toward technology. Societal sentiment about technology and media - including any negative perceptions or experiences - could influence how consumers view advertisers and their methods within these spaces
Listen to consumer needs. Brands, platforms and media owners can look for ways to create positive experiences that are grounded in consumer needs, fostering stronger connections between real-life and digital / social interactions
More proactive steps from platforms. Platforms and technology brands should take more proactive steps to drive awareness of good tech habits and reduce negative and harmful experience to avoid further regulation in this area

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