In a hyperconnected world, the ability to communicate with society at large has been democratised, whether you're a professional journalist or a top commenter. How can so much noise be filtered without impeding on freedom of speech?

According to the world of online dating, coming across as an arse to some can make others love you more. If having haters makes those who like you like you all the more, does the same psychology apply to our relationships with brands? And does it actually pay for a brand to rub part of its audience up the wrong way?

People are willing to show support for social causes – provided they don't have to do much - and brands are finding new ways to tap into the strength of the herd. By re-engineering menial actions – from buying body lotion to having sex – there are ways to reward everyone.

A new wave of technological advancements is making it easier than ever to plug into a techno-utopian automated lifestyle, as people increasingly expect to exchange minimum input for maximum output.