#2. Cultural Tensions: Digital Detox vs. Immersive Tech Expansion
As immersive technology becomes more ubiquitous in everyday life, and the development of virtual worlds (i.e. the metaverse) ramps up, so…
As immersive technology becomes more ubiquitous in everyday life, and the development of virtual worlds (i.e. the metaverse) ramps up, so will the impact it has on our wellbeing. It begs the question — if experts say TikTok is bad for our mental health, what will the metaverse do to it?
Simple definitions of the metaverse are hard to come by. Buzz words like NFTs, Web3, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology often cloud the conversation. To level set for this article, I like this particular definition from author Louis Rosenberg:
“In the metaverse, our digital lives increasingly will involve immersive media that appears all around us and is experienced in the first-person. It will impact everything from how we work, shop, and learn online to how we socialize and organize. It’s really that simple — the metaverse is the transition of the digital world from flat content to immersive experiences.”
In short, online connection is about to get a whole lot more immersive.
But not everyone is on board. In fact, many young people are moving in the opposite direction — seeking out more experiences that exist in non-virtual spaces. Post-pandemic tech burn out, growing concerns about the negative impacts of social media, and a general desire to reconnect with nature sit in tension with the expansion of immersive technologies. I love this chart from The New Consumer that really captures this tension of disconnection vs. connection — do Americans want to spend more or less time online? The answer is… yes.
That’s not really an answer to which way younger consumers are leaning, but it does reflect a critical tension between wanting to care for one’s mental wellbeing, while also staying current, conscious, and connected. Coming from a digitally native generation, it’s surprising to see that nearly a third of Gen Zers want to spend less time online. Conversely, about a third of Gen Z want to spend more time online (if that’s even possible).
It seems that both Gen Zers and Millennials sit solidly in the middle of this intersection — aware of the negative effects of being constantly online, while also acknowledging the important role social media and technology plays in everyday life. From that same report, 46% of Americans say they feel more themselves online, while 40% for offline. We seem to be split quite literally between two worlds.
Why else might this tension exist? Let’s dive in…
Digital Detox
Tuning out to tune in
Post Pandemic Tech Burn Out
The pandemic forced many people to take time to reflect on themselves, society, and the way they spend their free time. While being isolated at home revealed the power of technology to stay connected with others, many found themselves burnt out on Zoom happy hours and Facetime dates as the pandemic dragged on. Since then, more visceral, out of home, digitally disconnected experiences have surged.
I’d be remiss to pretend that Gen Z didn’t long for a pre-internet coming of age pre-pandemic, but the trauma from the past several years seems to have further compounded the desire for comfort, nostalgia, and simplicity. 66% of Gen Zers surveyed by Vice Media said they crave simpler times and that theyʼd “like to travel back in time to experience the world pre-internet.” This manifests in a lot of different ways. I spoke about a few of these in my previous report — TikTok trends like Soft Life, the rise of radical rest, and the fetishization of rural living with cottage core, reflect an urgent desire to disconnect and turn off.
When it comes to technology and social media specifically, some Gen Zers are ditching their smartphones in favor of nostalgic flip-phones. On TikTok, the hashtag #bringbackflipphones has over 37.4 million views. Many are using these vintage flip phones like the Razr specifically for parties and social events so they can avoid embarrassing posts or texting their ex — all while remaining in contact with their friends. And with their low-quality cameras, flip phones are able to naturally create the vintage aesthetic many Gen Zers are looking for.
In addition to the recent popularity of film photography, there has also been a resurgence of digital cameras and wired headphones from the early 2000s. The drive towards nostalgic out-of-date tech sits in contrast with the rapid advancements in the industry, which is often plagued by innovation for innovation’s sake. When a new iPhone comes out every year, and Apple keeps changing the damn charger ports, there’s something nice about resisting the fast changing tech world and appreciating the simple things. Take it from the growing movement of “Luddite” teens who are ditching technology and social media in favor of basic flip phones. For them and a growing number of teens, the disconnection from smartphones is more than just a nostalgia play. It’s a critical attempt to regain control over their lives.
Social Media Addiction Grows
Concerns about the detrimental mental health impacts of social media activity have always existed but have begun to intensify in recent years. In 2021, Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen shared internal research indicating that Instagram usage was linked to increased rates of mental health issues amongst teenage girls and sparked widespread calls for stronger regulation. And the explosive growth of TikTok has only accelerated concerns — from questions around misinformation, to its highly addictive nature and prevalence of extremist content.
There’s enough concern that the government is taking notice, recently landing social media execs in the hot seat. Executives from TikTok, YouTube and Snap were grilled by Senators late last year about the steps their platforms were taking to protect teens. The response have yielded small changes in UX on these incumbent social platforms, as they attempt to help users limit their usage. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube now provide detailed stats on your activity, breaking down the number of hours in easy-to-understand terms. Instagram’s new ‘Quiet Mode’ launched earlier this year, and TikTok is adding more options to encourage users to take a break from endless scrolling.
But a new crop of smaller social apps are trying to restore intentionality to social media with dedicated moments for connection — challenging the traditional “always-on” approach with an emphasis on less frequent, more purposeful interactions. From Wordle’s once a day word challenge, to new dating app Thursday — “the offline dating app” which only allows singles to match and chat on one day each week. Rather than constantly trying to garner engagement with exaggerated flashy content, these new apps are emphasizing simplicity and mundanity. “This new social app is boring, in a good way” wrote the NYT earlier last year of BeReal’s viral success. The platform has driven many established social platforms to mimic its temporal based functionality — from TikTok Now to Instagram’s plans for a new Candid Challenges feature.
Return to Nature
At the same time as our world becomes increasingly virtual, we’re seeing strong return to nature movements as a way to solve burnout and tech addiction. It makes sense that the theme for the US’s Mental Health Month in 2022 was “back to basics”. Interestingly enough, the theme for 2023 centers around the way our neighborhoods and built environments — our physical surroundings — impact both individual and collective well being. It’s quite fitting, given that increasing numbers of people are responding to the stressors of modern life by shifting their surroundings and moving completely off-grid, in what has been described as “rewilding.” “From the 20th century onwards, the cause of our ongoing existential malaise has been sought elsewhere — from our diet to the collapse of the nuclear family to the rise of social media,” writes Elle journalist Alexandra Jones. “Only now are we coming back to the idea that the secret to happiness could lie tangled in the rampant wilds of our world.”
Brands are leaning into this return to nature movement too — LL Bean encouraged its followers to swap retail therapy for ecotherapy in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May 2022. The brand’s Instagram grid was replaced with a “gone fishing” layout and messaging that encouraged its shoppers and social media followers to lean into nature for a much needed wellness refresh. Beloved natural cosmetics company Lush quit social media altogether in 2021 and spoke out recently about how they have no regrets. After the events throughout the last year, “people can see why we came off now,” says Annabelle Baker, Lush brand and marketing director.
Relevant Trend Reports:
Feel Good Feeds — Wunderman Thompson
Revolutionary Rest — Wunderman Thompson
Meta Mindfulness — Wunderman Thompson
Rewilded Minds — Wunderman Thompson
Hyper Fatigue — Mintel
In Pursuit of Pause — Vice
Primal Movement — Pinterest
IRL Fitness — Well+Good
Immersive Tech Expansion
Being connected to feel connected
The Value of Social
It seems not everyone needs to abandon their smart devices and go completely analog to relax. Immersing oneself in social media and virtual worlds can be its own form of disconnection — according to Wunderman Thompson Intelligence’s Metaverse Report, 81% of global consumers say they “switch on” to unwind. At least from the user perspective, the effects of online connection don’t seem as bad as experts would have us believe. Despite claims that TikTok is bad for younger consumers’ mental health, 53% say TikTok makes them happy, and 51% say it makes them amused. Only 7% say it makes them feel inadequate, 7% stressed, 6% sad and 5% angry.
Despite its perceived drawbacks, social media holds an incredibly valuable place in the lives of young consumers — many of whom prefer to do their own research and turn to platforms like TikTok and YouTube for tutorials, tips and tricks as they demystify new worlds and subjects. In a period of increased institutional distrust, social platforms have become a valuable and critical tool for research and self expression. Rather than dissociation and disconnection from the “real world”, young people are seeking out content online that offers knowledge (75%), growth (69%) and respite (68%).
Digital Healing
Digital connection has also proven to be healing in its own way. At the same time as people are turning off their devices and heading into nature to heal, there’s a growing movement towards online wellness. Mintel highlights this tension in their 2023 Global Consumer Trends Report:
“Over the next two years, expect to see a polarized response to relaxation and unwinding in the wellness space; retreats that offer a digital detox and the opportunity for consumers to immerse themselves in nature will appeal to some, while others navigate their well-being through wellness apps.”
For starters, it seems that kids who play video games have better memory and better control over their motor skills than kids who don’t, according to a new study looking at adolescent brain function. Companies are trying to leverage such research to develop video games that treat cognitive conditions and overall wellbeing. Akili Interactive, for example, has a prescription video game to treat ADHD, and DeepWell Digital Therapeutics wants to find the therapeutic value in existing games.
Athleisure brand Alo launched a wellness retreat on Roblox back in February 2022. Called the Alo Sanctuary, it offered an immersive wellness space for rest and relaxation, with avatar yoga classes and guided meditations. “We’re actually asking you to tune out,” said Angelic Vendette, Alo’s head of marketing. “In the metaverse, you’re consistently activated and there is so much going on. What we’re doing with Alo is completely different. We’re asking you to take a moment to truly lean into your mindfulness, to your mental health, and take a moment for yourself to breathe, to meditate.”
In China, Baidu launched the first AI emotional healers, Lin Kaikai and Ye Youyou, to provide 24-hour online companionship and functional services and to assist the app’s 600 million users with mental health issues. The AI personas were met with an overwhelmingly positive reception — on Weibo, the hashtag “First AI Emotional Healer is here” reached 19 million views while another hashtag “Virtual digital people can be so unique” soared to 24 million views and garnered over 13,000 discussions. The launch of Baidu’s AI healers coincide with a growing mental-health crisis in China, as well as China’s metaverse ambitions.
Building a Better Web3
The progression beyond Web2 and traditional social media platforms into the dark abyss of Web3 and the metaverse has generated anxiety amongst many. As metaverse activations continue to advance, the way we think about emerging technologies is becoming much more nuanced and engrained in the everyday — shaping a new reality where physical and virtual living are indistinguishable. And virtual connection is getting more intense, tactile, and immersive. From electronic ‘skin’ that provides a vivid virtual tactile experience in virtual worlds, to microLED display eye implants, to a semi-enclosed work and gaming pod from Cooler Master.
Some of it seems cool, but a lot of it just seems…ominous. “The world got caught up in negative trends and stories that revolved around a singular dark techno-dystopia centered on apocalyptic narratives,” states The 2023 Vice Guide to Culture. “A vision of Neal Stephenson’s metaverse in Snow Crash flashes before our eyes as a corporatized hellscape. Weʼve wondered if weʼre heading to virtual futures based on capitalism versus connectedness.”
The real desire amongst younger consumers is for these new virtually connected spaces to be better than what they’ve had access to previously — both IRL and online. Decentralized platforms provide an opportunity for young people to build healthier and more equitable spaces than what traditional social platforms were ever able to cultivate. Platforms like sound, felt zine, koop foster inclusivity, equity, and community rather than capitalist goals fueled by toxic addictive formats of engagement. These new platforms have the opportunity to highlight the best in humanity — 1 in 3 Gen Z say they play video games to build a more idealized version of the world.
Relevant Trend Reports:
Digital Nesting — Wunderman Thompson
New Realities — Wunderman Thompson
Virtual Nurturers — Wunderman Thompson
Digital Identities — Wunderman Thompson
Augmented Entertainment — Wunderman Thompson
Extra Experiential — Canvas 8
Metaphysical — Trend Watching
Experiential Escapism — Adobe
So–what’s in common? What do these two seemingly disparate trends reveal about the state of society in 2023?
One big takeaway for this one — after talking with sparks & honey Director of Cultural Strategy and metaverse expert Dani Thibodeau — connection might not actually be about social media at all. Devices and platforms will come and go, and immersive tech will surely make us feel like we can’t live without it, but at the end of the day true connection is found by putting ourselves out there. Whether we’re an avatar in a virtual world or we’re making a call on a flip phone, connection is found both online and offline.
“Immersive tech has the power to help us as humans do many positive things, including connecting with ourselves and others,” says Thibodeau. “What we have to be conscious of is the fact that we don’t need tech to connect. We also don’t need to abandon tech in our search for connection. We choose to use the platforms and devices we want to use, and in choosing them, we choose to be responsible for how we use it.”
And there’s certainly an growing shift amongst younger generations, who grew up with social media as an omnipresent force in their lives, to develop healthier habits. New apps, features and activities — both online and off — are helping younger consumers develop healthier habits and rituals around the use of technology. Digital engagement and mental wellbeing need not be mutually exclusive. What’s more — the progression into Web3 and decentralized platforms will put more ownership in the hands of young people, allowing them to build spaces that best serve them.
Where do you stand on this tension? Let me know in the comments :)