Social media have changed the way we consume news, products and, most importantly, each other. However, they are also shaping our expectations of reality, undermining our esteem and fuelling obsessive social comparison. So, what can we do to make us mindful of the negative impacts of new media and begin benefiting from the very best our interconnected world has to offer? One fashion journalist turned influencer charts her journey into the world of social media fantasy—and why she now wants to burst the bubble. Whether you be young or old, single or a parent, many of us today are concerned about the impact of social media on our lives and communities. Katherine Ormerod is the author of the Amazon bestseller, Why Social Media is Ruining Your Life’. Written in 2018, she addresses her experiences working in new media and the problematic implications of social media. In her research she speaks with psychologists, plastic surgeons, global influencers and others to get a meta-level view on the scope of the problem and what we might be able to do about it. Katherine brings a wealth of reporting experience with staff roles at Sunday Times Style, Grazia and Glamour, specialising in fashion and social media culture. She’s also written for the FT, The Telegraph, Harper’s Bazaar and The Mail on Sunday. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Scrolling through our social media feeds feels like a harmless part of our daily lives. But is it actually as harmless at seems? According to social media expert Bailey Parnell, our growing and unchecked obsession with social media has unintended long term consequences on our mental health. As social media continues to become part of the fabric of modern life – the “digital layer” – abstinence is becoming less of an option. Bailey think it’s high time we learned to practice safe social before it’s too late. What are the common triggers? How are they affecting you over time? How can you create a more positive experience online? Bailey covers this and more in “Is Social Media Hurting Your Mental Health?” Bailey Parnell was recently named one of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women. She is an award-winning digital marketer, public speaker and businesswoman with a talent for helping people tell better stories. Her work and expertise have been featured on CBC, CTV & in other local Toronto media. Bailey recently founded SkillsCamp, a soft skills training company where they help people develop the essential skills needed for professional success. She also currently works in digital marketing at Ryerson University. Bailey is a frequent public speaker having spoken to more than 10 thousand people. She primarily speaks about social media, personal branding, and media and mental health. She guest lectured her first MBA class at 21-years-old and has been the youngest speaker as multiple academic conferences. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Communication and Culture with a research focus on social media and mental health, and holds an honours BA from the RTA School of Media at Ryerson. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

As part of the SynBioBeta virtual conference 2020, Tristan Harris—Center for Humane Technology and featured in the Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma—sat down with SynBioBeta Founder John Cumbers. What happens when the technology of social media meets the biology of our minds? How does this color the public conversation around solving global challenges like hunger, genetic disease, and climate change? This socially distanced conversation explores the rise of misinformation, waning trust in science, and how we must advance ‘god-like’ technologies with firm ethical guardrails, aiming to ensure the best outcomes for humanity. About Leaps Talks: Breakthroughs in biotech could change the world for the better, but they also raise important ethical questions that cannot solely be answered by scientists and investors. That’s why we’re engaging society in this critical dialogue. Leaps Talks is a speaker series that aims to drive this dialogue by gathering leading minds from distinct disciplines to discuss ethics, opportunities, and challenges in biotech innovation. Learn more: https://leaps.bayer.com/engagement/ About Tristan Harris: Called the “closest thing Silicon Valley has to a conscience,” by The Atlantic magazine, Tristan Harris spent three years as a Google Design Ethicist developing a framework for how technology should “ethically” steer the thoughts and actions of billions of people from screens. He is now co-founder & president of the Center for Humane Technology, whose mission is to reverse ‘human downgrading’ and re-align technology with humanity. Additionally, he is co-host of the Center for Humane Technology's Your Undivided Attention podcast with co-founder Aza Raskin. Tristan Harris is featured in the top trending Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma, a powerful film that explores the human impacts of social technologies, released in September 2020. Rolling Stone magazine named Tristan one of “25 People Shaping the World”, and was named in Fortune’s 40 under 40 of 2018 for his work on reforming technology. In 2016, Tristan left Google to work on reforming the attention economy with the non-profit initiative, Time Well Spent which called out the industry’s “race to the bottom of the brain stem” to capture attention and proposed design solutions. About John Cumbers: Founder of SynBioBeta, John is passionate about education and on the use and adoption of biological technologies. He has received multiple awards and grants from NASA and the National Academy of Sciences for his work in the field. He received a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry from Brown University. About SynBioBeta: SynBioBeta is the premier innovation network for biological engineers, investors, innovators and entrepreneurs who share a passion for using biology to build a better, more sustainable universe. The organization provides community members with personal and professional development support, as well as valuable opportunities for partnership, collaboration, networking, and education. Read more at https://synbiobeta.com or sign up to the SynBioBeta weekly newsletter here: https://synbiobeta.com/subscribe/ About us: Leaps by Bayer invests in paradigm-shifting advances in the life sciences – targeting the breakthroughs that could fundamentally change the world for the better. Our approach is making significant and sustained investments in disruptive biotechnologies that could have the greatest impact on humanity. Connect with us: https://leaps.bayer.com/ https://twitter.com/leapsbybayer https://de.linkedin.com/company/leaps...