Empowering communities through technology
By Cate Maiolini and Lucy McInally
Our lives are centred around technology; in the last year, the pandemic enabled us to increase our use of technology to communicate with others and continue our participation in society.
For many, this opportunity led us feeling empowered or having a sense of achievement, whether it’s connecting with a group of like-minded people, sharing similar experiences, or learning new skills.
At a recent presentation given by Monash University, it was explained that “technology is nothing but a tool. It is how people use it and for what purposes that will determine whether it provides more or hinders choices and capabilities”. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how various communities are using technology for empowerment.
Social media is an online tool for users to create and share content and participate in online networking. It influences shared experience, which is known as technoculture — referring to the fusion of technology and culture. In March 2021, a study undertaken by SproutSocial concluded that the largest number of users of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter were aged between 25–49, the majority of which are millennials, who were the first group of users willing to adopt social networking when it initially emerged. And, as this technology relies on a multitude of people using its platform, user growth has enabled rapid expansion across the network which has resulted in the formation of user communities. Social media use increases connectivity, exposure to digital content and becomes an effective communication medium for resource mobilisation.
Resource mobilisation theory aims to reach the goals and ambitions of a social movement, which is reliant on resources. Social media tools are one such resource, and women, for example, have set up and joined the plethora of private female-only groups on Facebook, which are inclusive of individuals who respect and value the purpose of the group. This is a virtual safe space for users to communicate and seek advice via crowdsourcing, on topics not limited to careers, personal relationships, health, finances, and general daily experiences. Voicing their concerns and shared experiences as a collective group, female users reach a state of empowerment. The digital realm becomes representative of female collective identities and self-organised communities.
Similarly, the female-focussed dating app — Bumble — founded by Whitney Wolfe Herd was established to value respect and equality, after Wolfe Herd was sexually harassed in her position of Vice President at Tinder. Bumble is female-centric and disrupts the dynamics of dating, as women make the first move which allows them to feel more confident and safe. Meanwhile, its competitor Tinder, an app notorious for hookups, has driven many women away from using its software. Bumble’s success with female users exemplifies how technocultural experiences can be understood and designed to empower people around their community values.
“Making the first move is especially influential for older women — historically, women haven’t been empowered to initiate contact like this” — Dr. Jess Carbino, former Sociologist at Bumble.
In addition to dating apps and social media tools, there are more softwares that have been developed to enhance our daily lives. We use exercise apps for fitness tracking, wellness apps to improve daily habits and food delivery apps to receive a delicious meal. These apps were built to empower users.
Online video communication tools have been used widely since the start of the pandemic. When the schools closed, Zoom and Google provided online classrooms, and companies used online video communication tools to ensure employees continued meeting and working with colleagues effectively. Most importantly, the senior generation (over 65s) have adopted online video communication tools to stay in touch with family and friends during the pandemic. Zoom is simple to use and free to join, which makes virtual social interaction widely accessible. In the last year, 54% of the UK population aged 75+ joined the internet. According to Lifeline24, seniors use fitness apps to improve their mobility and reminder apps for essential daily tasks, including taking medication. These technologies not only improve seniors’ health, they also alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation which leads to empowerment.
We can now see how David Bowie’s prediction of the internet in 1999 was spot on:
“I think the potential of what the internet is going to do to society, both good and bad, is unimaginable. I think we’re actually on the cusp of something exhilarating and terrifying”.
At Co-Liv, we strongly support the exhilarating nature of what the internet has to offer, which has been even more impactful over the last year. Technology strengthens communities that are able to achieve better things together and empower individuals. The Co-Liv community, a virtual network that brings together people who’re passionate about coliving, has grown 5X in the past year. We’ll continue to support and nurture our growing community via the Co-Liv network and Tech Community.
This original blog article was published onUnissu
