Ex-execs dissing Facebook: all the rage. But who’s bringing about true change?

Earlier this month, the latest 'responsible tech' bombshell dropped: Chris Hughes (left above), who co-founded Facebook back in the day with Mark Zuckerberg, affirmed in a New York Times op-ed "It's Time to Break Up Facebook". Since the Cambridge Analytica scandal, claims Hughes, "Zuck" and Sheryl Sandberg have done nothing to reign in Facebook's huge … Continue reading Ex-execs dissing Facebook: all the rage. But who’s bringing about true change? →

Why Time’s up for irresponsible tech

If there's one thing that SXSW, the massive gathering that takes over Austin, Texas every March remains today, it's a tech trends barometer. Twitter, Foursquare and Periscope were all launched there, after all. This year, however, as this excellent post from France Télévisions' Kati Bremme (in French) was first to confirm to me, the big … Continue reading Why Time’s up for irresponsible tech →

4 more reasons to reduce your screen time… after reading this

1. Screens now divide rich from poor "Human contact is now a luxury good," asserts this thought-proving New York Times piece. "The wealthy can afford to opt out of having their data and their attention sold as a product," writes Nellie Bowles. "The poor and middle class don’t have the same kind of resources to … Continue reading 4 more reasons to reduce your screen time… after reading this →

Is AI under control?

I have several idées fixes about technology, that fascinate as much as they scare me. One is that we one day won't be able to tell the difference between reality and virtuality. Another — not that different, fundamentally — is that machines will replace us. Linked to both is another idea I just can't shake … Continue reading Is AI under control? →

Can gadgets be ‘organic’?

It's now easier than ever to buy organic food. But what about gadgets? How can we make sure the technological products we choose have minimal impact on the environment, and on others? Whilst no "organic" labels yet exist, there are options. Here are a few. Fairphone: heart in the right place Fairphone, a company founded … Continue reading Can gadgets be ‘organic’? →

How to do a data detox

"If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold." This quote — supposedly from Andrew Lewis/blue_beetle, and more frequently paraphrased as "if it's free, then you're the product" — initially referred to the arrival of ad-funded TV in the 70s. Today, we have become the product 24/7. None more so … Continue reading How to do a data detox →

2018: The year we lost Trust in Tech

Up until 2018, we'd happily posted the slightest details of our daily lives (ok, only the positive ones) on Facebook, warmly welcomed Alexa into our homes, waited impatiently for the latest iPhone, and not thought twice about letting Google follow us everywhere. This year, we learned, for example, that even turning off Google apps' location … Continue reading 2018: The year we lost Trust in Tech →

How to fight screen addiction

Earlier this year, we predicted that reducing screen time would be the only 2018 resolution that matters. A quick reminder why: We look at our smartphones for an average of 2-3 hours a day, and at least 50 times a day. And these are low estimates: some of us peek 150 times daily An increasing … Continue reading How to fight screen addiction →

How to leave Facebook in 5 easy steps… and why

I'm a head of social media by day. So why am I deleting my personal Facebook account? (I'm not deleting the one I use to manage brands' Facebook pages, as then I'd be out of said job. Pages, unfortunately, remain essential for business today. As long as you have a paid budget, as organic post … Continue reading How to leave Facebook in 5 easy steps… and why →

Techfugees, when technology saves lives

Few initiatives better prove technology's potential for good than TechFugees. Founded in 2015 by TechCrunch's Mike Butcher and led today by entrepreneuse Josephine Goube, the non-profit, which encourages startups to devise solutions to help refugees, organised its second Global Summit at Paris' Station F late October. The event's "Global Challenges" competition saw tech companies, as well … Continue reading Techfugees, when technology saves lives →