Social Battery

By Sara Matilda Montorio

Topic: Personal Data

Medium: Object

Material: Chargers

Institute: Politecnico di Milano

Year: a.a. 2023-2024

The observers are invited to reflect on how daily actions are altered, even if unconsciously, in order to stay connected and continue using the digital devices. The goal is thus to make the viewers observe how some social activities in the offline world are ignored in favor of stimuli from the online reality, emphasizing how even when the devices are charging the user cannot decide whether to disconnect from them. The charger becomes a chain that prevents the users from walking away from the outlet, sometimes foregoing social occasions that occur in offline life.

Featured image of the project Social Battery

Complementary image of the project Social Battery

Metaphor used:

The charger becomes a chain, keeping the end user attached to the outlet, as he or she is unable to move away from the phone even while it is charging. This chain is only broken the moment the user detaches from the phone while it is charging, engaging in other activities present in the offline world.

Intended Meaning:

The problem highlighted by the artifact is digital dependency, aiming to emphasize how we often tend to ignore what is happening in the offline world in order to not detach ourselves from technology. Users are invited to reflect on how they relate to technology, dwelling on how it alters their actions.

Source:

Daily phone use (October 9-11, 2023), highlighting how it is often used inordinately. Sourced through Apple’s data and privacy section.