Digital Wellbeing: Newman Lecture delves into the world of AI and social media

Dr Joanne Orlando delivered the 2024 Newman Lecture on August 21 on the topic “Digital Wellbeing: How to thrive in our AI, social media, and digital world.”

Named in honour of Saint John Henry Newman, the Newman Lecture at Mannix College is a major annual event that attracts eminent speakers to address the challenges of the day.

In 2024, the student leaders of Mannix voted that the lecture address mental wellbeing in our connected world. The College was thrilled to have Dr Joanne Orlando, digital wellbeing researcher, commentator and futurist, deliver the lecture to 300 residents, staff, alumni, donors and guests in St Dominic’s Chapel.

Dr Orlando’s speech first outlined three major trends in her research across Australia. These characterising features transcend different demographics and include:

• We are tightly shaped by technology. Our feeds are a narrow echo chamber that limits our exposure to diverse viewpoints. Dr. Orlando stressed how significant this is in shaping our understanding of the world and our interactions with it.

• We are overwhelmed with content. A growing addiction to contact stimulation and the use of technology to manage our stress leads to mental fatigue and an inability to switch off. We no longer do a single task at once and often use online content to avoid undesirable emotions.

• We are craving authenticity. The rise of scams and misinformation, exacerbated by Artificial intelligence-generated content, has eroded trust, leading to a growing desire among young people to engage with authentic, real content online. 

After offering some insights into the changing global digital landscape from both the technology industry and government policy perspectives, Dr Orlando shared some practical ways to use technology to value-add to our lives. Some of these recommendations included:

• Using technology as a second brain and to help us reach our goals. Technology can be used to reduce mental load and even to motivate us towards our next milestone. The key advice here is to be intentional about what applications we are using, when and how.

• Breaking the habit of “Zombie Scrolling.” Dr Orlando’s research has identified this as the habit 85% of us wish to break. The first step is to reflect on what situations, emotions and thoughts precede our impulse to pick up our phones and begin scrolling. Becoming aware of our own patterns can help us understand and change our automatic response! 

Ultimately, Dr Orlando encouraged individuals to use technology intentionally to support their digital wellbeing. 

“Dr Orlando’s insights were both timely and thought-provoking, challenging us to reconsider how we engage with technology in our daily lives. Her message was clear: by being intentional in our digital interactions, we can reclaim control and foster a healthier relationship with the technology that surrounds us.” – Principal Andrew Swan

A Formal Dinner with an expert panel followed the lecture, offering insights into the complex relationship between technology and wellbeing. Moderated by Professor Rashina Hoda, Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Monash University Faculty of Information Technology, the panel featured Professor Craig Hassed OAM, Dr Geoffrey Pascoe (Mannix Alumni 2007-09), and Dr Joanne Orlando.

During the dinner, the atmosphere buzzed with lively discussions and thoughtful questions from the audience, reflecting a keen interest in the evolving relationship between humans and technology. The panellists shared diverse perspectives, highlighting the intersection of technology, mental health, and ethical responsibility, which resonated deeply with all attendees.

The morning after, our Semester 1, 2024 Knox Scholars had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Orlando to discuss the lecture over breakfast. Having had the chance to reflect on the previous night’s themes, our residents engaged in a stimulating discussion around their own technology use, the recent push to introduce online age-verification in Australia and its associated challenges, and ChatGPT’s overuse of the word ‘delve’.

Our 2024 Newman Lecture served as a reminder of the profound impact technology has on our lives and opened up discussions on how to leverage this knowledge to better our digital wellbeing.

About Dr Joanne Orlando

Dr. Joanne Orlando (PhD) is a world-leading researcher, author, and futurist providing solutions to adults and children’s pressing digital challenges. She collaborates with prestigious university research centres, multinational organisations, and governments worldwide to solve challenges related to AI, social media, online communication, tech for work and learning, family, and relationships. 

Joanne’s strength lies in presenting complex ideas as practical solutions. Her analysis and commentary have been instrumental in identifying and articulating key trends in digital lifestyle and wellbeing. She has popularised phrases like ‘sharenting,’ ‘zombie scrolling,’ and ‘Finsta’ that have become part of our everyday language. 

Joanne is the ongoing digital wellbeing expert for multiple TV programs including Sunrise, Today Show and The Project, and has published a long list of research-based media articles worldwide. She has a long-standing relationship as a researcher working with Apple and is currently working with multiple social media platforms to reform their digital safety policies. Her current research projects are funded by State and Federal governments and focus on reconceptualising how we understand and approach digital wellbeing. Joanne is a researcher at Western Sydney University.