Messaging in a time of war - how digital transformation has created a new battlefront 

Since the digital age began, the way we learn, communicate and view the world has transformed. Over recent weeks, it has become increasingly clear how the world’s digital metamorphosis offers power to the people in previously unprecedented ways.  

An example of this is Telegram, a multi-platform messaging app  like WhatsApp which offers channels that enable a single user, or a group of users, to communicate with large numbers of people. In the latest published analytics on Statista, Telegram is the second most popular messaging app in the world based on the number of monthly downloads, with an estimated 550 million monthly users.  

One of its biggest features is  privacy and the employment of end-to-end encryption which is what stops those outside of the conversation from seeing what has been sent. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Telegram started a news channel to  share the latest war news 24 hours a day. This has become an essential source of information for Ukrainian citizens, and messages from verified Ukrainian government accounts and politicians are helping to keep people safe, counter potential Russian disinformation, and warn of emerging threats. 

Much has been written recently about the influence and use of digital technologies to spread information, misinformation, influence, report, and hold truth to account. Ukrainians around the world talk about  fighting an information war  and social media platforms are making changes to  stop misinformation online  to an extent never seen before.  

Meanwhile, in other social media news… 

A Digital Opinion Leader (DOL) is an online influencer who is an HCP or someone who influences public health, policies, or public health implementation. The pandemic has accelerated this trend and the importance of DOLs has increased but it can be hard to find the most relevant opinion leaders.  

'Digital sleuthing' helps to connect with the right social media influencers  and this company uses artificial intelligence to sift through millions of social media conversations to help companies find the most impactful DOLs in their relevant disease areas. 

But how willing are consumers to dish out their data? Well, in a study published by JAMA, it was noted that consumers are reluctant to share their social media data for health-related use. It was also noted that they are more willing to share physical activity data like step count data than other types of information. 

From home to hospital, healthcare gadgets are the helping heroes

TV watching has a bad rap when it comes to physical health implications, but soon, TVs are to be used as  remote care platforms for doctor patient interactions. TV-sized screens help minimize the downsides of virtual visits for doctors as patients can easily stand, move around and show the HCP more of their body. 

And help around the house doesn’t stop there! This new personal boxy bot carries stuff around your house and aims to  help people with mobility issues  live more independently. 

On the subject of movement and mobility, there’s been monumental moves from Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain chip firm, as it lines up  clinical trials in humans for implants that could allow paralyzed people to walk. 

Things are changing in the operating room too! Medtronic's  Hugo surgery robot  was recently used in its first European procedure. 

In the dermatology space,  Claro  is a new free, and clinically verified,  digital tool to support psoriasis patients  to improve their mental wellbeing. Produced by Almirall in partnership with Happify, it aims to provide a meaningful and fun experience to teach patients how to cope with psoriasis in a more positive way. 

Additionally, Verily, Alphabet's life-science subsidiary, is teaming up with L'Oréal to improve understanding of skin care and develop new digital tools in the dermatology market. 

 Sometimes it’s good to get personal

MIT says, when it comes to voice tech, the more social behaviors a voice interface exhibits,  the more likely people are to trust it  and engage with it, and consider it to be competent. 

Corsight AI says they are capable of devising  a solution for using DNA to create a model of a face! 

Next time we pop to the pub, let us print you a drink? 

Finally, are you looking for ideas to increase office attendance? We reckon this one might help! The company Cana has unveiled a molecular beverage printer, described as a ‘Netflix for Drinks’, that can make any type of drink the user wants. It uses a single cartridge filled with flavor compounds that the inventors claim can make a nearly infinite number of drinks.

Cheers - until next month!

#WordFromTheWeb

At AS&K, one of our key values is Being Curious ‒ asking what if, why not, could we? The Word From the Web blog series is one example of how we are horizon scanning and infusing the latest innovations within our medical communication services. Want to learn more about how AS&K can help you stay in front of the latest trends? Contact our Business Development Director, Alana Zdinak at alana.zdinak@asandk.com today!