How do you imagine social interaction within 10 years, taking into consideration the impact of technology on human relations?

A chicken-and-egg dilemma2

Human interaction as the root of social media or the other way round?

3

The paradox of social interaction

Building relationships and connecting emotionally would not be possible without human values.

Social media

↗ are changing the way human beings interact↘ will not replace physical-human interaction and the

reasons why we interact

4

Depending on the use of technology, social interaction can develop in multiple ways.

The future? It's all about antonyms…

SINGLE INNOVATION

MULTIPLE INTERACTIONS

Any of those social evolutions fall in three main categories

(each being yin/yang), on their imaginary axis:

FREEDOM CONTROL

PARTICIPATION ALIENATIONENGAGEMENT

LEAN-FORWARD LEAN-BACKEXPERIENCE

ORDER

5

ORDER

Technological breakthroughs

Consequences on social interaction

FREEDOM CONTROL

Cheaper personal portable devices

Major visibility/presence of marginalized voices in public debate

Loss of control of personal and sensible data Lack of protected privacy/opt-out options

Nanosensors and smart networks

Proliferation of mechanisms (e.g. “sousveillance”) aimed at improving governance and enabling more efficient use of government resources

Lack of protected privacy/opt-out options Enhanced “panopticon” surveillance

Augmented reality “Multi-local” services Virtual citizenship

Enhanced “panopticon” surveillance Loss of control of personal and sensible data

Digital IDs Virtual citizenship Social reputation issue (social “prankster)

Niche social networksVirtual places where same interests, sentiment, passion are shared

Amplification of inequalities and segregation

Speech-to-speech translation

Major visibility/presence of marginalized voices in public debate ——

6

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ALONG ORDER AXIS

CONTROL

FREEDOM

Nanosensors and smart networks

Augmented reality

Digital IDs

Niche social networks

Speech-to-speech translation

Cheaper personal portable devices

7

ENGAGEMENT

Technological breakthroughs

Consequences on social interaction

PARTICIPATION ALIENATION

Virtual and tele-presence technologies

Enhanced everytime/everywhere online education Cross-media/immersive media consumption

Personality disorders Physical boundaries independence Potential psychological dislocation

Smart connected devices

Cross-media/immersive media consumption Media hyperactivity “Artificial” friendship

Augmented reality Enhanced everytime/everywhere online education New/improved sense of community

Addiction to “virtual” Personality disorders Potential psychological dislocation Physical boundaries independence

Gamification

Gaming socialization New/improved sense of community Virtual places where same interests, sentiment, passion are shared

Loneliness and depression “Artificial” friendship Fraud risks

Volumetric and holographic displays

—— Personality disorders Potential psychological dislocation

Ultra paper flexible thin screen

Enhanced everytime/everywhere online education

——

8

ALIENATION

PARTICIPATIONVirtual and tele-presence technologies

Smart connected devices

Augmented reality

Gamification

Volumetric and holographic displays

Ultra paper flexible thin screen

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ALONG ENGAGEMENT AXIS

9

EXPERIENCE

Technological breakthroughs

Consequences on social interaction

LEAN-FORWARD LEAN-BACK

NFC payment

Enhanced shopping experience: additional product information, context-aware interfaces, new purchasing processes (virtual currencies for virtual goods) Social recommendation and loyalty program - consumer-rewarded mechanisms

Too much confidence in virtual and electronic data/identities; uncritical and passive acceptance Deception issues Fraud risks

Voice and pattern recognition

——Too much confidence in virtual ed electronic identities; uncritical and passive acceptance

Augmented reality

Overlaying of virtual/electronic data with real life world (e.g. to get further information about a masterpiece in a museum) Virtual presence, remote meeting

Dangers of fractured attention Uncritical acceptance of the “others”

Gamification “Now” vs “in my own good time” entertainment consumption

Too much confidence in virtual ed electronic identities; passive acceptance.

Volumetric and holographic displays

Enhanced shopping experience: additional product information, context-aware interfaces, new purchasing processes (virtual currencies for virtual goods)

Inability to distinguish between real/virtual.

Gesture control Virtual presence, remote meeting Dangers of fractured attention

10

LEAN-BACK

LEAN-FORWARD

NFC payment

Voice and pattern recognition

Augmented reality

Digital IDs

Niche social networks

Gesture control

IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY ALONG EXPERIENCE AXIS

11

Truth lies in the middle

A manichean approach help us categorize technological

improvements depending on how they influence human

relations, but…

FREEDOM CONTROL

PARTICIPATION ALIENATION

LEAN-FORWARD LEAN-BACK

ORDER

ENGAGEMENTEXPERIENCE

TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS

12

Truth lies (somewhere) in the middle

…we cannot fully foresee the exact degree of

influence, but only its range (which might even be

across both edges)…

ORDER

EXPERIENCE

ENGAGEMENT

13

Let’s make a (good) example(history repeats itself…more or less)

Cathodic tube high prices lead people to gather together in one place and enhances physical socialization.

TV introduces a new sense of community, freedom and participation, yet being a lean-back experience.

HOW IT WAS(sixties)

14

Let’s make a (good) example(history repeats itself…more or less)

TV gradually turns into a couch-potato passive experience.Its consumption become restricted within the family boundaries.

TV experience loses its socialization strength. It enforces uncritical acceptance and therefore acquires greater capacity to influence people.

HOW IT IS(now)

15

Let’s make a (good) example(history repeats itself…more or less)

A participative, immersive, democratic, lean-forward ecosystem.

A social-gathering mechanism grows beyond the living room and water cooler.

TV is a seamless social experience, enhanced by internet connection and second screen devices interaction.

HOW WOULD IT BE (2020)

16

Let’s make a (good) example(history repeats itself…more or less)

FREEDOM CONTROL

PARTICIPATION ALIENATION

LEAN-FORWARD LEAN-BACK

Consequence of TV on social interaction(sixties

)

17

Let’s make a (good) example(history repeats itself…more or less)

FREEDOM CONTROL

PARTICIPATION ALIENATION

LEAN-FORWARD LEAN-BACK

(now)Consequence of TV on social interaction

18

Let’s make a (good) example(history repeats itself…more or less)

FREEDOM CONTROL

PARTICIPATION ALIENATION

LEAN-FORWARD LEAN-BACK

(2020)Consequence of TV on social interaction

19

In the end…

“THE MEDIUM IS THE MESSAGE” (M. McLuhan)

A medium affects the society in which it plays a role not by the content delivered over the medium,

but by the characteristics of the medium itself.

20

…you reap what you sow

THE MEDIUM IS (SIMPLY) THE MEDIUM.

AND WHAT IF MAN…

THANK YOU