Tech Guardians
16m
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Provocation with Purpose
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Companies are encoding their own morality into their platforms. Advertisers and consumers have sway on what content persists, and while removing harmful content has positive benefits, censorship often operates in a grey area and removes our ability to choose for ourselves.
The episode Tech Guardians from the podcast Provocation with Purpose has a duration of
16:37. It was first published
More episodes from Provocation with Purpose
Toppling Taboos
As the power of older institutions deteriorate, so do the taboos they reinforce. Pragmatism has taken over and stigmas that once prevented progress are slowly disappearing.
Wholesomeness
As the world becomes more cynical, a movement has emerged that rejects pessimism and embraces the kindness in the world. In uncertain times, we’re self-soothing through cute animal pictures and funny memes.
Tech Guardians
Companies are encoding their own morality into their platforms. Advertisers and consumers have sway on what content persists, and while removing harmful content has positive benefits, censorship often operates in a grey area and removes our ability to choose for ourselves.
Canceling Cancel Culture
Cancel Culture has flipped the power of authority figures and celebrities to the marginalized and often voiceless. It played an important role in conclusively shutting down Bill Cosby and Kevin Spacey. But celebrities like R. Kelly have benefitted from the increased exposure. And as its scope widened beyond criminal and amoral acts; people like the Dalai Lama and even everyday teens were attacked. Cancel Culture’s blunt force was unable to distinguish the grey areas where most people live. Brands found themselves in the crosshairs. But this power to force behavior change through social media-driven boycotts, blackouts, or blocking has begun to wane. Instead, people are turning to these platforms to prompt reconciliation. While the mass audience mobilization remains a potent tool, Cancel Culture is evolving into a more nuanced movement that can still affect change, like promoting essential worker wage reforms.
Washing
Washing is when brands disingenuously capitalize on public sentiment around topics like #BlackLivesMatter, environmentalism, and LGBTQ rights to push their products and services. This upsets the consumers who identify with these movements, who watch as brands crowd each other out during opportunistic occasions and muddle the issue they’re fighting for. Cause marketing fatigue sets in. Being an ally means bringing attention to a cause. But being an advocate means taking a more active approach to try to affect change. During the height of the pandemic, for example, brands took a somber tone as they underscored the importance of front-line workers. But consumers rejected sentiment that rang hollow or didn’t match a company’s reputation. Advertising has a major influence on moving the needle in society; how you engage will elicit different expectations and a vocal response to your brand’s stance from stockholders and consumers alike.