Can we empower digital users?

According to a 2015 World Economic Forum survey of 5,000 digital media users in China, the US, Brazil, Germany and South Africa, an impressive 72% of respondents consider corporate transparency important in media and entertainment companies. 75% believe it is vital to have complete control over how their personal data is stored and used, and more than 70% favour a “right to be forgotten”.

But how well are policy-makers and industries providing this level of control to users? With cybercrime on the rise, online citizens are increasingly concerned with how their activity is being tracked and what elements of their digital identities are being stored and where.

Consumers are beginning to understand the tangible value that their digital footprints carry. So will we see an increase in user empowerment, driven by more adequate regulations and more targeted digital media offerings?

You can view seven short videos about the societal implications of digital media and the impacts on various aspects of our lives:

How digital media is changing our lives
How we consume and share
How our decisions are influenced
Our personal development, learning, and health
How we interact with one another
Our professional lives
How we engage civically

Find out more in the Forum's report, Digital Media & Society: Implications in a Hyperconnected Era.

Author: Claudio Cocorocchia, Content Lead, Media, Entertainment and Information Industries, and a Global Leadership Fellow