Take Voyeurism 2.0 as a social trend. We’ve developed a taste for peering over the garden fence into the intimate lives of others. And as we’ve found with this trend, the more intimate (and seemingly mundane) the better. Instagram has become the platform du jour for satisfying our thirst for insight into the private spheres of friends and celebs. We now want to go a step further, with a peek into the private, everyday conversations of others. Talkshow provides a platform where users can share their conversations in front of an audience. It covers everything from sports to politics, and Lemonade to Damn Daniel. Look out Ellen, there’s a new host(s) in town.
Then there’s our Conscious Community trend. Western society is becoming more aware of the effects of our actions on the world around us. Online groups are forming around interests that actually do something good. This isn’t hot air, but action. And now you can commit to a cause by offering up one of your most personal and unique belongings: your voice. VocaliD has created a campaign called Goldivox, which encourages viewers to donate their voices to speaking machines, to be used by those without a voice. All(!) you need to do is record yourself reading 3,500 sentences out loud. Using technology to empower those with impairments has so far been a nice-to-have. Now we’re pushing the envelope further to ensure that when technology gives people a voice, it’s a voice they can identify with.
Even Airbnb, who (together with apps like Uber) helped create the sharing economy – or the Internet of Social Things – isn’t resting on its laurels. In a bid to encourage users to travel more authentically, Airbnb is looking to expand into tours, sports and other activities. With the help of your City Host, you should be able to really live like a local. Whether that’s finding the most scenic cycle paths in the South of France or tracking down the best deep-fried Mars bar in Edinburgh – Airbnb (and its friends) will be there to offer a helping hand. Now that the sharing economy has firmly ingrained itself into every aspect of our lives, businesses are looking for ways to improve their services. You can increasingly expect these firms to not only sort out your logistics, but to also ensure your experiences are more enjoyable, authentic and enriching.
As social innovators continue to push existing trends, we’re looking forward to the next wave of social and online behaviours. Our trend-spotters are hard at work identifying these, so watch this space. With your VR headset on, obviously.
