Can We Develop Innovative and Responsible Social Networks?

Responsible innovation has emerged for more than ten years in France disrupting the innovation process across several organisations.

It has promoted creativity, responsibility, in many industries such as high tech, services and manufacturing.

The objective of responsible innovation is to integrate, throughout the innovation process, from design to marketing, new measures to promote environmental sustainability, the use of non-polluting materials, the sorting of waste, recycling, protection of workers, customers, employees and suppliers.

It also takes into account innovation aspects that will be impacted directly or indirectly.

Responsible innovation is not the quest in itself to improve the environment, human health and working conditions, but the integration of all these dimensions regardless of the innovation.

And if there is a strong need for responsible and social innovations, integrating responsibility into innovation processes is much more crucial.

Responsible innovation impacts all existing and future structures, whatever their size, sector or location.

More specifically, responsible innovation is an iterative development process that combines an analysis of the possible consequences of the step-by-step innovation of a project with the imperatives of stimulating creativity throughout the development phases.

The consequences on social, economic and environmental performance are monitored throughout the life cycle and corrective actions are anticipated accordingly through the reintegration into the previous development phase.

Whaller, an innovative collaborative social network platform that guarantees the confidentiality and security of its users' data, is using a responsible innovation approach.

Data safety and transparency are two fundamental principles of the platform. Thanks to an exclusive system of sealed spheres, everyone can now create and manage an infinite number of social networks from a single account.

On Whaller, everyone controls their communications, communities and audience.

Whaller's mission is to provide a social and collaborative platform that respects its users by putting technology at the service of people.

Due to the Sino-American duopoly in social networks, it is important to create other digital platforms now more than ever.

Collaborative platforms such as Whaller allow users to better control their digital life, protect their personal data, help organisations scale, and educate people about how to leverage digital tools.

It is not only a sovereign or political act, it is above all the choice of a more human digital future thus promoting the expression of the real added value of man: creation, reflection, intelligence.

The stakes are considerable for organisations to integrate the concept of responsible innovation.

Organisations that care about their customers' should definitely consider implementing responsible innovation.

This is vital because social networks affect our life and we need more data protection. 

Responsible innovation platforms can help further develop new ecosystems that are more responsible.

About the Authors

Thomas Fauré, Founder and CEO of Whaller (created in May 2013, Whaller now has more than 500,000 registered users and more than 25,000 organizations).

Xavier Pavie, Professor at ESSEC Business School, director of the iMagination center. Latest work published: Critical Philosophy of Innovation and the Innovator (ISTE 2020).