Marris Adikwu is a culture writer and a keen observer of consumer behaviour. She also writes short stories and reads anything she can get her hands on.

Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience. 

Personal Worlds

 ran a feature about a group of self-professed ‘luddite’ teens who meet in Brooklyn every Sunday to chat, read, paint, and do anything other than sit on their phones. Founded by 17-year-old Logan Lane, members of the Luddite Club encourage one another to embrace a less tech-heavy life by ditching their smartphones for flip phones and deleting their social media accounts. 

New York Times

 A life without social media seems like a radical act for digitally native Gen Zers, with over half (52%) of 15- to 17-year-olds in the US reporting that they are online almost constantly. 

Pew Research Center

 However, as a generation suffering elevated rates of depression and anxiety, many are beginning to reassess their relationship with technology, and seeking tech products and experiences that align with their values, fulfill practical needs, and fit seamlessly into their lives. 

McKinsey & Company

Despite being at the forefront of major technological shifts in our lifestyle and media habits, many Gen Zers remain skeptical about how far they would like to go in incorporating the latest digital innovations in their daily lives. This generation has been found to have very specific attitudes about the ways they’ll utilize technology, often seeking to know the benefits of new tech before they adopt it. Only 38% of Gen Zers believe that the metaverse is the next big thing and would become part of our lives in the next decade. 

Markets Insider

 24-year-old Victor believes that these digital innovations present an escape from reality, but doubts that they have a clear-cut benefit. “The metaverse doesn’t actually help me work faster or smarter, nor does it minimize my fear of online security threats,” he says. “To me, it’s simply a virtual creation that hardly brings any real perks to my day-to-day life.” 

Interview conducted by the author

Brands looking to appeal to Gen Z consumers should be aware of the generation’s clear standards when it comes to tech. “Any tech company targeting Gen Z as their customers will need to prioritize user experience,” says Saulius Gudaitis, an SEO outreach specialist at NordLayer. 

Interview with Saulius Gudaitis conducted by the author

 “This generation has seen hundreds of popular tech tools, so their expectations have increased over time,” he says. “Gen Z views technology as easy to use at all times and for all people, and therefore legacy tech issues for both physical and digital tools are not favorable to them. Even though they [Gen Zers] largely have the ability to overcome tech issues, they want simplified ways to utilize technology, such as single sign-on authentication for data security, or gamified online tools that actually work.” 

 With hype alone no longer cutting it with Gen Z consumers, how can brands keep apace with this cohort’s increasingly refined attitudes towards tech?

Many Gen Zers remain skeptical about the idea of the metaverse, despite spending a lot of time on extended reality gaming platforms. In fact, 48% said that they were unsure, or had no intention of purchasing a device to access virtual environments, such as a VR headset. 

Fast Company

 For the metaverse specifically, engagement with the concept was high, prompting brands to jump on the hype, but uptake and social experience was much lower. 

Ipsos

 This is partly due to consumer expectations regarding their data usage – 63% of Gen Zers have doubts about the ways that 

 will be handled by metaverse platforms. 

Marketing Dive

 “Although stolen personal information was never acceptable, it is important to understand that most of the threats were unprecedented in the relatively new world of the internet and digital age,” says Gudaitis. “However, Gen Z was at the center of these threats while growing up, and they need a strong emphasis on data security for any tech developments they are interested in.” 

Having grown up experiencing digital harms across social media platforms, Gen Zers have become astute at managing their safety when online – 62% say they know more about online safety and security than their parents. 

PR Newswire

 With experience dealing with issues ranging from data security, to hate speech and cyberbullying, they want to see technology companies do more to ensure the safety of virtual environments. The industry is taking steps to respond to these needs. In 2020, The Oasis Consortium was founded to develop standards to protect security and ethical behavior in virtual environments. Made up of multiple video game and digital platform companies, the proposals of the organization include the requirement that companies operating in the metaverse recruit professionals who ensure the security and protection of interactions between users. 

Prosegur

Meanwhile, 62% of consumers expect full control over their data, but nearly half will give that up for a personalized internet experience and device interconnectivity. 

 However, it would be unwise of brands to assume that Gen Zers will adopt every new innovation only because it’s trendy and personalized. As many look to unplug and detach themselves from an increasingly technological world, they are willing to adopt gadgets only if they can serve a clear and meaningful purpose. For tech to truly appeal to Gen Zers, Victor believes that it has to enhance, rather than distract. “I expect it to add to my day in terms of ease of use, efficiency, and safety, while also having the added benefit of familiarity,” he says. 

 Indeed, 57% of Gen Zers say they would happily use technology with a mix of few security downsides and clear benefits, such as energy meters to help them monitor and reduce their energy wastage and cost, or practical features that fit into their daily routines. 

Tech HQ

 Look no further than the plethora of mental health apps, some of which even serve dual use and have gaming-esque functions. 

 is one such app, which allows users to care for a baby bird that grows as they complete their own goals.

Tired of a tech world dominated by billionaires such as Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, as older Gen Zers mature into the workforce, they’re building the technology they want to see from the ground up. 

 is a collection of Gen Z tech enthusiasts who are collaborating to build technology that aligns with their values and needs. Much of the tech being developed on the platform has social aims or is ‘tech for good’. For example, 16-year-old member, Snigdha Roy, is using machine learning to engineer an AI therapist. ETHOS is another platform that is catering to the tech needs of Gen Zers. Created by 21-year-old former Oxford University student Alejandra de Brunner, the social media platform encourages users to build their profiles around an issue that they are passionate about. From there, the app connects them with educational and solution-oriented content, as well as other accounts and groups engaged in these issues. In 2022, the platform attracted 1.5 million in funding. 

UKTN

Technology should fit around their lives, not vice versa

“As far as adaptability goes, I’d prefer it if new tech would fit easily into my daily routine,” Victor says. “I like sticking to a definite plan throughout my day, so I can’t adopt any tech that involves changing the specific way I do things in order to adapt to it.” 

 Like Victor, many Gen Zers want innovations that can make their daily tasks easier, but they are also looking for ways that it can fit seamlessly into their lives, rather than adapting around them. A perfect example of the ways that technology can be adapted to these demands? When Google noticed that Gen Z was turning to alternative platforms like TikTok and ChatGPT in search of answers, they 

to allow for more answers from peers to filter in.

“Generally, Gen Zers are the advanced users of most of the technologies we use today, and thus they want technology to adapt according to their lifestyles instead,” says Gudaitis. “The metaverse can provide several opportunities for adaptability. Many of them already spend about half of their day on the screen, so the metaverse can offer them a way to be themselves in the virtual world and create a new identity safely. These advancements still need to meet the other demands (accessibility, data security, and a clear purpose) to have a significant acceptance rate among Gen Zers.” 

Gen Zers’ wariness of the metaverse presents a lesson for brands: hopping on the latest tech trend for the sake of being timely and involved may not impress consumers. As the technology is still in its early stages, 43% of Gen Zers say that a limited understanding of the metaverse keeps them from participating, and 85% report that they feel indifferent about brands developing a presence in the virtual world. 

Zipline

 This means that brands entering the metaverse should clearly spell out the personal and business benefits of their digital upgrades, to ensure significantly higher and faster acceptance by Gen Zers. “To satisfy Gen Zers’ demands, it helps to put tighter security mechanisms in place to safeguard personal information, like encryption and two-factor authentication,” says Toby Dao, a marketing specialist. “In addition, making data collection and usage policies more transparent, giving users more control over their personal data, and making it simple for them to erase or anonymize their data are all excellent options.” 

Interview with Toby Dao conducted by the author

The proliferation of different platforms, products, tools, and services may lead some young people to reach their digital limits. These consumers are either opting to unplug, or turning to technology that has a clear purpose, meaning that they’ll be scrutinizing gadgets and apps in search of the value it will bring them. Brands can respond to this by moving from the rapid release cycle in the tech sector and honing in on areas where they can provide utility. For example, the 

 browser extension offers eco-friendly alternatives to any items searched online, helping Gen Zers to fulfill their desires to shop more sustainably.

Perhaps because Gen Zers are digitally native, they expect technology to adapt to them, not the other way around. This means that they will prioritize gadgets that increase and foster accessibility, ease, and inclusion. To guarantee that technology is inclusive and satisfies the requirements of all users, brands can benefit from taking the time to ensure that various viewpoints from potential users are incorporated into the design and development process. “As technology advances, brands can increase simplicity of use and inclusiveness by designing user-friendly interfaces and streamlining complicated procedures to make technology more approachable for non-technical consumers,” says Dao. “To reach a wider audience, they must also integrate features that enhance usability for people with impairments, and make these features available in several languages.” 

 of 15- to 17-year-old Americans report that they’re online almost constantly

 of US Gen Zers have doubts about the ways that data privacy will be handled by metaverse platforms

 of US Gen Zers say they feel indifferent about brands developing a presence in the metaverse

Gen Zers have a closer relationship with their online selves than any generation prior and are spending more time in immersive digital environments

In spite of their status as digital natives, Gen Zers are growing skeptical of tech for tech’s sake, and want innovations to fulfil a clear purpose

By focusing on UX and accessibility, brands can optimize their virtual offerings to fit seamlessly into Gen Z lifestyles rather than have them adapt around these innovations

Saulius Gudaitis is an SEO outreach specialist at Nordlayer, working to optimise and improve users’ online presence. He’s passionate about tech and how it can be used to make businesses thrive.

Toby Dao is a marketing specialist at Tigren, providing e-commerce solutions to small and medium businesses.

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)

United States

Technology

For many Gen Zers, the lines between real life and virtual experiences are increasingly fading. But despite being digitally native, they have specific attitudes about the ways they’ll allow technology into their daily routines. How can brands meet the refined digital needs of this generation?

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