This year, I led a team in executing on The Human Loneliness Project (live in August), which just may be the most comprehensive look at loneliness from the angle of business strategy and product innovation.

One thing that jumped out is that, in all wide scale studies that have been done on the topic, the youngest generation on planet earth also seems to report the highest levels of loneliness.

The project also zoomed in on the double-edged relationship between loneliness and digital technologies - and the evidence is clear there has been an exorbitant amount of weight shifting onto digital connection instead of human-to-human connection.

Walk around, take a look - it’s no secret we’re glued to our phones but what may be less known are the potential consequences of that at-scale.

Whenever I return back to the U.S., I tend to notice this phenomenon of people being on their mobile phones in social settings. Scrolling on Instagram in the presence of close friends kind of defeats the purpose, huh? This poses some interesting thought forms around what a real “social app” looks like and whether we can create truly social apps that encourage more interaction IRL, especially among those most at-risk.

⚡️  Our society is now understanding the importance of digital wellbeing

⚡️  Gen Z is the loneliest generation as well as the most digitally connected

⚡️  Gen Z is also passionate about improving the wellbeing of the planet

⚡️  The amount of service-less locations is increasing

A mobile app that encourages people to be present in social situations, targeted at young Americans who enjoy socializing with classmates and colleagues.

❶  User creates Detox Room within application, the room score is set at 0 and can be Activated at anytime

❷  Once activated, the room timer begins, each minute counts as a point, and social and messaging apps are locked on the device of any user who enters the room

❸  Room owner invites other users to join the room

❹  Each additional user who joins the room creates a point multiplier (i.e. if 2 users are in the room, each minute is 2 points, 8 users results in 8 points per minute)

❺  Each 1,000 points results in a tree being planted

☑️  Test different incentive models with quick and dirty user research

☑️  Prevent against users from using when not in social settings (i.e. sleeping but in close proximity to one another)

☑️  Location-based invite is better done through Bluetooth device detection but MVP can be a simple user invite

☑️  How might we be able to position this as a mobile game?

☑️  Is it easier to lock apps on a user’s device or detect once a user opens an app?

•  Phone Stacking

•  Service-less locations: Wifi-less cafes + Kit-Kat No-Wifi Zone

•  Focus/screen-time apps: Offtime App + Forest App

Test the value proposition manually by simply letting people hand in their phones when the timer is activated. Same rules and features apply. See how the social setting improves and let others comment on their experience. Ensure the tree planting is done and share results with everyone that participated.