Six tech tensions and the implications for UK brands
Today technology underpins every part of our lives. Understanding techlash – the growing pushback against tech giants and the role of technology in our lives – is therefore critical for all sectors. And while concern about tech is widely evidenced, it often overlooks the say-do gap and offers little practical direction for brands.
Our 2026 Techlash ebook explores the current attitudes to techlash among UK consumers.
What's inside
- The trust vs. convenience stalemate – techlash is real but quitting is rare.
- The battleground to be won is the ‘mixed middle’ – how conditional tech trust works and why brands can win or lose here.
- Risk is now routine – tech’s mainstream credibility problem.
- The Gen Z paradox – the most positive, most anxious, and most active users of tech.
- Parents are pragmatic – positivity is driven by necessity, how to support families without moralising.
- Red lines and the Black Mirror effect – posthumous avatars and emotional boundaries in tech acceptance.
- ‘Now what?’ for brands – 6 telling truths and the credibility signals brands should build on.
Who took part?
We explored current attitudes to techlash among UK consumers through discussion groups and a survey of 1,500 people in April 2026.
Download the ebook
Explore key findings and their implications for brands, from optimising comms and experiences to understanding shifting consumer ‘red lines’.
