Smartphones give us access to a wealth of information with just a few taps – but at what cost to our attention spans? Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Adrian F. Ward, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, to learn how the presence of a mobile device can reduce a person’s cognitive capacity.

How are digital platforms helping seniors feel empowered and independent? In what ways are apps and devices being tailored to the youngest generation of users? How can people overcome complacent attitudes to privacy? And is there a market for virtual reality beyond mere entertainment?

In the wake of high-profile data breaches and leaks, concern about our data is at an all-time high. digi.me is a company that wants to centralise user data to their device, with explicit permissions being accepted or rejected for any service that asks to gain access to it.

To help people build a healthier relationship with social media, the Royal Society for Public Health is launching #ScrollFreeSeptember. But with FOMO the biggest cause of excessive social media use, its success will come from building a movement that gets people to switch off collectively.