DCMS launches new inquiry on the growth of addictive tech
The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee has started a new inquiry into the growth of ‘immersive and addictive technologies’.
The inquiry will investigate the development of immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality and the potential impact they could have in the worlds of sport, entertainment and news.
Officials will also investigate how the addictive nature of some technologies can affect users’ engagement with gaming and social media, especially amongst younger people.
According to research from Ofcom, people in the UK check their phones every 12 minutes and one in five people spend over 40 hours a week online.
Tech is also affecting Britons' personal economy, with the new research revealing that spending on gaming in the UK hit a record £5.11bn in 2017, which was up by 12.4% on the previous year.
The inquiry will explore the potential impacts of this interaction, and examine government efforts to deliver the necessary policy, infrastructure and regulation of increasing digitisation and ‘gamification’ of people’s lives.
Damian Collins, chair of the DCMS Committee, said: “The way we interact with cutting-edge technologies is life-changing for our generation and generations to come. We have the opportunity now to shape that development, setting an agenda that benefits our economy and how we spend our leisure time, while ensuring the right safeguards are built in.
“We want to understand more about its potential and the future impact it could have on society. The development of ‘deep fake’ augmented reality films, is already a cause for concern because of their potentially disruptive impact in spreading disinformation.
“During our recent inquiries, the committee has heard repeated concerns about the impact to society of the increasing amounts of time that people spend immersed in online worlds, and the potentially addictive nature of social media and gaming.”