Listening to Future Voices: 6G4Society at STS Italia 2025
As part of its ongoing mission to explore how future connectivity can serve society, 6G4Society engaged with students at the STS Italia Conference, held June 11–13, 2025, at Politecnico di Milano. In collaboration with the CyberSocial Lab, the project gathered first-hand insights from a group of 15 Design students, focusing on public awareness, expectations, concerns, and social imaginaries around 6G.
Low Awareness, High Imagination
The conversations confirmed a key challenge: awareness of 6G remains limited. Many students had only a vague understanding of what 6G entails, often confusing it with 5G or seeing it simply as “faster internet.”
Despite this, students imagined compelling applications—from holographic classrooms and real-time augmented installations to more deeply integrated smart cities. Environmental sustainability, increasingly prioritized by the telecom industry, was noted and appreciated by several participants.
Critical Reflections: Beyond the Hype
Alongside curiosity, students expressed thoughtful concerns. Coverage and signal penetration—particularly in rural or historic urban areas—were top of mind. Data privacy and security were also flagged as significant issues. Some questioned whether high-end use cases like holographic video calls reflect real user needs, or if they risk deepening the digital divide by favoring already-connected urban areas.
A Cautious Optimism
For 6G4Society, these conversations underscore the importance of grounding technological development in real social contexts. Students were intrigued by the futuristic promises of 6G, but what they truly valued were practical, inclusive outcomes: equitable access, strong privacy protections, and meaningful applications that reflect actual needs.
By listening to emerging voices, 6G4Society continues its commitment to shaping a human-centered vision for next-generation connectivity—where no one is left behind.
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