10,000 people retire every day in the United States. It’s a population that has doubled in the last 40 years. Many of us are looking forward to the silver years. We’re daydreaming of adventurous holidays and opportunities to live life on our own terms. This is a viable consumer group with more money and time than any other demographic. So why aren’t we hearing more about a rush to get the silver set a seat at the metaverse table?
Web 3.0 is the third attempt, in my lifetime, to create an inclusive internet offering opportunities for all. “The fight for the web is one of the most important causes of our time” according to its inventor Tim Berners-Lee. He says; “of course with every new feature, every new website, the divide between those who are online and those who are not increases, making it all the more imperative to make the web available for everyone.”
The fight for the web is one of the most important causes of our time.
Tim Berners-Lee, Web Inventor
Access is one thing, inclusivity is a whole other phenomenon when it comes to the internet. A positive outcome of the Covid-19 pandemic is that flexible ways of working appear to be here to stay. This includes remote work for staff who, in some instances, have proven to be more productive outside of the office.
87 percent of workers surveyed across the US and Europe want the option to work from home at least part-time.
Hogan Assessments, a global leader in professional development
87 percent of workers surveyed across the US and Europe want the option to work from home at least part-time. That’s according to a study by Hogan Assessments, a global leader in professional development.
People spending more time online doesn’t mean they’re being engaged or stimulated. In fact, it can mean quite the opposite. With baby boomers leaving the workforce and increasingly remote ways of working comes more social isolation. Loneliness increases a person’s risk of dementia by 50%. It’s a leading cause of premature death. The risks posed by isolation and loneliness rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity. That’s why these groups represent an opportunity to innovate for inclusivity.
It’s more difficult to make friends as we get older. Men in particular suffer from a lack of companionship in later life. By now, we should all be familiar with examples of the ways in which tech can improve our lives. Beyond the convenience of having your smart device think for you we’re well on our way to enjoying the benefits of health tech making a real difference to our fitness, diet and wellbeing.
Loneliness increases a person’s risk of dementia by 50%.
Centers for Disease Control, CDC
There are some great AI innovations for deteriorating eyesight and hearing with assisted speech, text and audio. Yet – there is so much more that social tech innovators could be doing. Tech for older adults has a lot to learn from tech for kids. Both groups need interaction and social immersion. So why aren’t Web 3.0 designers innovating with this group in mind?
Older adults make up the world’s third largest economy. Spending more on goods and services than any other consumer group. Rather than expecting them to find joy and entertainment in games designed for Gen Z why aren’t we collaborating with them? This way we can create impactful innovations for challenges like loneliness and isolation through collaborative community development.
With structured and specialist design we can create communities where connections are nourished and growth is encouraged. Getting this right is a crucial step in preparing older adults for a place in the metaverse. Imagine a place with appointment-to-attend social events, games and quizzes. Intentional innovation is crucial to ensuring that Web 3.0 leaves no one behind.
Kelly Silvera is CEO of Fawma, an AI firm working to connect entrepreneurs with markets and networks. She writes on issues of reparative justice and tech. Kelly advocates for opportunities through entrepreneurship.
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Monthly Newsletter | March 2022 | VOL. 6