philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

Why this nonprofit is using augmented reality to cut through the divisive noise of social media

... Founded in December 2021 by Daniel Lubetzky — the founder of Kind Snacks — Starts With Us originally invited people to pledge to “stop listening to react and start listening to understand,” and to “stop letting our differences divide us and start letting them develop us.” Lubetzky — whose father survived the Holocaust — has spent decades working in the Middle East on various diplomatic and business ventures. (In 1994, he founded PeaceWorks, a business that fosters stronger connections between Arab and Israeli communities.) Now, with Starts With Us, the goal is to foster “curiosity, empathy and courage” in the U.S. through content and programming for a range of political affiliations. ...

... “Piecing these numbers together, it’s clear that social media has become an accelerant not only of political division but now national stress,” said John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll. “As we think about other detriments to public health social media — when misapplied — is now entering the category of cigarettes, alcohol and other high-risk factors.”

While corporations have been increasingly involved in addressing social issues, some wonder if that might soon change in the coming year. On Tuesday, Forrester predicted that B2C marketers will start to retreat from taking political stances in 2023, especially if conservatives regain control of Congress after the U.S. midterm elections. However, Forrester analyst Mike Proulx said other survey data suggests that people across the political spectrum want ways of seeing the other side of the aisle.

“What it tells us is that more people than not despite the voices that are fueling the divisiveness,” Proulx said. “Most people want to find common ground.”

See the full story here: https://digiday.com/marketing/why-this-nonprofit-is-using-augmented-reality-to-cut-through-the-divisive-noise-of-social-media/