Balancing Business Goals with Human Well-being

Personal Note?

With the kids out of school, my eldest back home from college, and summer schedules in full swing, I’ve been grappling with a topic I’ve written about before that resonates deeply with many of us: the intersection of technology and family life.?

A few weeks ago, the U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued an advisory that he would push for a warning label on social media platforms advising parents that using the platforms might damage adolescents’ mental health. Let’s be honest. This comes as no surprise. Things are not great right now for parents who are navigating this - and haven’t been for a while.?

The Surgeon General's advisory addresses the fundamental responsibility of technology companies to design safe online environments to prevent and minimize the risks associated with social media. While I deeply agree with this sentiment, the solution is not that simple, and the way forward is much more complex.?

As a mom of four, and the CEO of PanasonicWELL, the complexities between creating technology products that benefit the well-being of the people using them, while also providing real value from a business perspective is on my mind constantly, not just when the latest news cycle is covering it. I share more about my perspective on this below.?

Purpose & Productivity?

Even with the right tools and principles - there is only so much parents can do?

As a parent, I live in a constant tug-of-war between the reality of raising children in this digital age and wanting to protect and nurture my family offline. Recently, my youngest had reached his screen time limit for the day and asked for more. He argued that he had “nothing to do” and the computer would help him be more productive and learn something new instead of sitting idle. Although a clever approach on his part, in this instance, I said no and stood my ground, because I read that “being bored” is very important for brain development.?

Looking at my kids, it is interesting to see how each of my children navigate screen time and social media depending on their age and personalities. With my eldest daughters, we were able to establish clear guidelines at home early on and helped them develop healthy boundaries with social media which they still implement to this day. However, with our youngest two sons (they were in elementary school when the pandemic hit), we tried to establish the same guidelines, but the pandemic forced their childhood to happen in front of a screen. Everything from going to school to socializing with their friends, and playing games was online, and as a result, their relationship with technology is vastly different from our daughters.?

While we can be discerning about the technologies we invite into our homes, establish family guidelines for screen time, teach and empower our children about responsible online behavior, and encourage real-world experiences and relationships, the next generation is being influenced by so many factors out of our control.?

As parents, and as consumers, we are still very much the victims of addictive technology and are paying the price for the significant influence on culture and society social media plays in shaping our world today.?

There is no perfect solution?

The Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma is aptly named. It explores the negative impacts of social media on individuals and society and sheds light on how social media platforms are intentionally designed to be personalized and addictive to increase engagement. We are living in a world where we (humans) and our data are the product, hence creating a nearly impossible problem to solve. Technology companies provide massive returns for investors and shareholders by weaponizing our personal data and this will only get dramatically worse with AI.?

As long as we live in a capitalistic society, there will be pressure for businesses to perform, and that is ok. It gives us an opportunity as leaders and innovators to challenge the status quo and think about solutions that are vastly different from what we know now.

At some point, will people get so sick of being “the product” that we could see a fundamental shift in what we expect from technology companies? Or will consumers play a bigger part in deciding what they are willing to gain in exchange for personal data because it provides a better quality of life? We already willingly opt-in to share data every time we open an app or use the internet -- we get to connect with friends far away, we get more personalized shopping recommendations, we get to track our fitness, or we get directions to places we have never gone. And the companies (for the most part) intend well but have gotten to a point where we are harming kids and adolescents.?

We are consumers and parents, opting in, clicking on recommended options, and allowing companies to make more money and exploit our data against our own and our family's health.?

We have to try to be a part of the solution?

The Surgeon General’s warning sheds light on the need for social media companies to take responsibility for creating family-friendly technologies that support rather than hinder our well-being.?

There is no perfect solution (yet) in my opinion. The U.S. Surgeon General’s first Smoking and Health report marked its 50-year anniversary this year , and over the past five decades, we have seen a steady decline in smoking rates. It will take policymakers, tech companies, consumers, researchers, parents, caretakers, etc., and a massive societal shift to see big changes, but we have to try. As a technologist and a consumer product innovator, I strongly feel that we have to take steps to move the needle in the right direction, even if it takes time.”

The shift may already be starting. Will we see a trend of people not wanting to be on social media? Will it be uncool for the next generation? I hear more and more friends say things like “I am done being plugged into the matrix” or I notice my own desire to spend more time in nature, to grow my own vegetables, to connect with my community, and to not feel the pressure of being addicted to email and likes.?

As I think about the type of world I want to leave for my children and generations to come, I am motivated by a deep desire to help shape the future to create new industry standards. I believe that we can create products and services that foster health and well-being, while also delivering on business results. This is what we are working on at PanasonicWELL. To create a better future not only for families worldwide but to create a better world.?

What do you think of The Surgeon General's advisory ? Do you have any thoughts on the solution or the way forward? Would love to hear from you in the comments below.?

Me List?

• Capture a moment (or three) of all family members together having fun this summer?
• Practice “unplugging” for 24 hours this upcoming holiday weekend?
• Read “Do Nothing: How to Break Away from overworking, Overdoing, and Underlivin g” by Celeste Headlee?

Hope you and your family have a wonderful July 4th holiday!?

Yoky?