Want a heads up when a new story drops? Subscribe here.
The conference focuses on the challenges of a constantly connected world
The 2014 social media week has begun and this year will focus on how people are always connected. Social media week is a worldwide event that brings people together to discuss and share new trends and the best practices in technology and social media. It allows thousands of people to come together and use their collective knowledge and experience in order to move technology forward and benefit the world in a way that would not be possible individually. According to Craig Hepburn of Nokia “Social Media Week is more than an event; it’s a movement. Such an innovative event that taps into the human networks of people across the world and encourages sharing and best practice will move us forward faster and more effectively than traditional event silos.” The event will have many themes aimed at understanding and improving how the world is connected.
One of those themes is the meaning of now today. There is so much technology in the world and so many different forms of social media that people have instant access to enormous amounts of information. Although it is easily available most of it is not needed, at least not to every specific person. People use smart phones, tablets, and computers and they read emails, texts, and posts. Sifting through all this information can be distracting and time-consuming. This theme will try to solve the problem of “How can we find and embrace the technologies that lead us to have more time and focus, not less?” (socialmediaweek.org). It will also try to help define the difference between immediately available information and urgent information.
Another theme is the two sides of technology. This will focus on “preserve humanness — meaning the ability to listen, empathize, engage, focus and be present in the moment”. (socialmedia.org). It is very easy to get lost in the splendor of technology and ignore the real world around us. People can communicate over social media and receive almost all the information they need online nearly eliminating the need for face-to-face interaction. This theme will try to help people to really live in the moment and remain truly engaged in their lives despite the distraction of technology. There are many other themes as well that will all serve to help the world progress forward in terms of social media and technology.
