LSN : News : The app for buying nothing and meeting neighbours

Eco-Bot takes aim at climate disinformation

Eco-Bot.Net by Robert Del Naja and Bill Posters in collaboration with Dale Vince

Glasgow – As global leaders convene at COP26 to set new environmental targets, the Eco-Bot project is seeking to expose corporate greenwashing during the landmark summit.

Confronting the swathes of climate misinformation rampant on social media – particularly Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – artists and 'hacktivists' Robert Del Naja and Bill Posters developed the bot to comb the internet for key terms and phrases often used in eco-propaganda. This data is then funnelled into a database moderated by journalists who can flag the misleading content by commenting on posts and turning data into graphic visualisations.

‘We’re talking about three of the world’s largest social media platforms with over four billion users, and none of them have effective policies to limit the harm caused by climate change disinformation or corporate greenwashing,’ explains Posters.

Taking aim at heavy carbon emitters, the project aims to reveal the vested interests of multinational corporations that run advertisements on three social giants. In doing so, the scheme aligns itself with Digital Dialogue initiatives that demystify the often nebulous advertising tactics employed on social media.

Strategic Opportunity

The national media has largely let down environmentalists. Acknowledge that people can't rely on the news for climate knowledge and find ways to validate information in peer-to-peer social media spaces

A Parisian spa for a NASA-approved skin treatment

Momo Skin Studio, Paris

Paris – Opening its doors on rue de la Sourdière, Momo Skin Studio is the first clinic in Paris to offer microcurrent technology, a facial reconstruction practice approved by NASA. Only administered by a handful of expert facialists, microcurrent is becoming known as a powerful method of regenerating and strengthening skin in a non-invasive way.

First popularised across the Atlantic, the procedure uses a low-intensity bio-electric current to revitalise the skin, stimulating all layers of the face, from the epidermis to the dermis. To create an atmosphere of calm, Schéhérazade Abdelilah-Parreno, the founder of the clinic, tapped award-winning sound designer Nicolas Becker to create site-specific playlists. Becker even used autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR)-inducing sounds to guide customers into a deep state of relaxation.

This, in combination with artworks by Phillippe Parreno and luminous overhead skylights, helps to create a calming, multi-sensory atmosphere. The space combines cutting-edge technology with traditional architectural features, creating a phygital iteration of Virtual Sanctuaries.

Strategic Opportunity

Architecture and technology can go hand inhand to make innovative wellness methods more inviting – and enlightening – for consumers

The app for buying nothing and meeting neighbours

California – Created for hyper-local neighbourhoods, Buy Nothing is an app that uses community exchange to reduce people's consumption habits. Starting as a series of mutual aid groups on Facebook, Buy Nothing has evolved into its own platform that is governed by the same principles of care, reciprocal gifting and community organisation.

As its name suggests, money is not the dominant currency on the app. Instead, users give detailed explanations about why they deserve to be the recipients of an object. By forgoing financial compensation, the app transforms the simple act of decluttering into an opportunity to meet and befriend neighbours. Unlike on similar platforms, no object is prohibited – with listings for dryer lint and pickle brine regularly fetching numerous requests. Physical proximity is the only requirement to join the app, with each group active within a strict radius.

In the world of Buy Nothing, it is not unusual for a decorative birthday banner to make the rounds between households, creating a more sustainable future based on the principles of Barter Brands for ephemeral objects that are typically only used once.

Buy Nothing, US

Strategic opportunity

Second-hand platforms should offer features that allow for hyper-local exchange to promote community-building and social interactions

Stat: Digital banking use soars in Indonesia

Mastercard Hi

Innovations in the fintech industry throughout Asia-Pacific have led to widespread adoption of digital banking. Today, 78% of Indonesians actively using digital banking services, which is up from 57% in 2017.

According to McKinsey & Co’s Personal Financial Services 2021 survey, the accelerated adoption can largely be attributed to the impact of Covid-19, which forced banks to close and customers to quickly learn new online behaviours. The survey found that Indonesian consumers use mobile and online channels to access digital banking at least once a month and, as a result, they have heavily reduced their use of cash, with 55% of respondents paying with cash for less than 30% of their weekly expenditure.

As all consumer groups become increasingly comfortable with the use of digital banking in Southeast Asia, there is a huge opportunity for banks operating in the region to create more immersive platforms. To tap into the emerging demographic of digitally empowered spenders, banks must use digitisation and automation to refine the online banking experience and Reach The Next Billion Users.

Strategic Opportunity

To remain competitive, banks must create accessible services that correspond with the constantly shifting consumer attitudes to technology – across all age groups and geographical regions