The impact of digital technologies

I am a student. I use my phone every day for social media, music, and videos. I know it uses electricity, but I don’t think about it much. My friends and I often buy new phones, even if the old one still works. In my home, I use many wireless items, but I have never thought about the impact of making batteries.

"Digital tech makes life fun. But I never thought about its impact."

I’m a retired doctor. I only started using computers a few years before leaving work, and I still struggle with them. Now, my bank says I must buy a smartphone for 2-Factor Authentication. It feels like I’m being pushed to keep up or be left behind. Most services only accept online forms, and I often miss deadlines. The library in town offers free digital training, but I live in the countryside and never hear about them in time.

“I want to stay connected, but it’s not easy in rural areas.”

I have two children. They use tablets for school and for games. Last year, my son’s high school gave him a laptop, and now all his textbooks are online. But he told me he often browses the internet in class instead of doing his exercises. I worry they’re spending too much time online. He also showed me a photo of a birthday party at school—everyone was sitting quietly, looking at their phones or taking selfies.

“I’m not sure this is the kind of future I want for them.”

I am a delivery driver. My job depends on technology. I use GPS and an app to plan the best routes—it saves time and fuel. But when the app crashes, I get completely lost and stressed. I can’t function without my phone. It’s the first thing I check in the morning and the last thing I use at night. My wife complains, and I know I’m not setting a good example for our kids. Still, I can’t imagine working without constant updates, emails, maps and reminders.

“Tech helps me… until it doesn’t.”

I am an urban planner. What’s that? As part of a city planning team, I work on developing smart infrastructures—like intelligent lighting, real-time traffic sensors and energy-optimised buildings. These technologies reduce emissions and make urban life more efficient. However, they require massive investment and regular updates. Plus, some residents fear surveillance or loss of control. Balancing progress and trust is a constant challenge. I often have heated debates with my neighbours and my friends. I want citizens to be excited about our smart city!

“Technology CAN make cities smarter”

At 17, I run a small but growing YouTube channel. I upload content every day and stream several hours a week. It’s exciting to reach thousands of people, but I recently learned how energy-intensive video streaming is—especially when done globally, 24/7. I understand the problem, but I also need the algorithms to keep showing my videos.

“I love being online, but now I wonder: what’s the real cost of digital fame?”

I’ve run a tech repair shop for over 15 years. These days, more people come in—but many leave when they see the price list. How is it cheaper to buy a new phone than to replace a battery or screen? Companies design products to be disposable, and customers get used to it. It’s unsustainable—economically and environmentally—but the law still allows it. And don’t get me started on greenwashing: they talk about recycling while pushing yearly upgrades.

“They call it innovation. I call it waste.”

I work as a social media content moderator. Every day, I review the posts that algorithms miss—violence, harassment, hate speech. It’s exhausting and emotionally draining. People think tech platforms are “clean”, but behind the scenes, we’re exposed to the worst of the internet. When I hear that someone has taken their own life after online abuse—or after being encouraged by an AI chatbot—I feel sick. Still, I believe in what I do. My work helps create safe spaces where isolated people can connect, feel seen, and form friendships—even if those friendships are virtual.

“I clean the internet, but it leaves a mark.”

In AI research, I constantly face the tension between innovation and sustainability. Training large models—like language or image generators—can use more energy than five cars over their entire lifetime. We could optimise, but there's little incentive: efficiency isn’t as glamorous as novelty. I find the field exciting, but I worry about how these tools are used. Take GPT-4—do we really need people generating Ghibli cartoon versions of themselves or designing ‘starter packs’? AI should be regulated and developed for meaningful, responsible purposes.

“Just because we can build it, doesn’t mean we should use it for everything.”

I’m part of a student-led group that organises climate workshops based on the French card game "La Fresque du Climat". It has now been translated to over 45 languages, proof that people are interested and that the game carries a lot of weight. However, we use digital tools to raise awareness, share resources, and build communities. But we often ask ourselves: can we fight climate change using tools that also accelerate it?

“Technology helps us act—but is it also part of the problem we’re fighting?”