Digital excess

People's relationship with digital devices and social media has become a love-hate dependence. The acceleration brought by the pandemic was a turning point for the digitalisation of every aspect of our daily lives. Now it is time to analyse the risks and balance what the digital world takes from us against what it gives us.

The codes have changed. We are digitally saturated. Our subjection to social media is real, and the glare of screens weakens our ability to pay attention and socialise beyond a few likes.

Likewise, fast consumption (fashion, food…) is reaching information too. Current affairs are full of noise, news is hard to verify, and disinformation and manipulation take over the digital products available to citizens.

As a result, a communication model based on algorithms prevails today. Over emotions, there is a struggle to be “the best-looking”. Virtual life takes over, and humans risk getting lost in digital excess.

But have we stopped to think about how we are using technology? It is so integrated into our daily lives that we do not notice how it interferes with other parts of our routine. User experience and interfaces encourage runaway use, and the number of new formats lets us combine the digital with any physical facet.

In response, a counter-movement is emerging. Consumers are aware of the need to disconnect and opt for measured, authentic digital use. They call for a world without filters. A momentary return to the past that lets them connect better with the present.