BENESTAR
DIGITAL
MISSIÓ
2024
PER L’EQUITAT DIGITAL
Digital Wellbeing
in the UK
SHAKSHI GHAI, PH.D.
Post Doctoral Researcher
Junior Research Fellow University of Oxford
Outline
Reviewing the state of the field
1
UK’s policies and measures
2
Rethinking digital well-being
3
Digital screen time and children
Twenge (2017). Have smartphones destroyed a generation? Atlantic
Cycle of moral technology panics
Orben, A. (2020), Perspectives on Psychological Science.
1940s
Children’s Reactions to Movie Horrors and Radio Crime, Journal of Pediatrics.
1960s
Scientific Advisory committee on TV set up by US Surgeon General
Scientific literature
Mixed evidence
Lack of diverse research on vulnerable children
Illusion of screentime
Correlational, lack of causal inference
Digital diets
Rising mental health challenges
Lack of international consensus
Inaccurate self-report measures
UK Measures
COVID-19
Online Safety Bill
Education
2020
2023
2024
International policies
A complex problem
Nearly a million people across 72 countries over 12 years, Matti Vuorre and Professor Andrew Przybylski found no evidence supporting the negative impacts of Facebook on wellbeing.
No Evidence on FB adoption and well-being
Adolescent Depression and Social Media Use
9
Ghai et al., (2023.) Lack of Sample Diversity in Research on Adolescent Depression and Social Media Use: A Scoping Review and Meta-Analysis. Clinical Psychological Science
Nuanced effects (risks vs benefits)
Benefits
At-risk children
LGBTQ+, ethnically and socio- economically diverse children, children with disabilities
Exclusion
Meta-q: Are positives (and negative) effects of technology on well-being more amplified in diverse adolescents?
Rethinking digital well-being
Mitigation of severe harms
Equitable digital inclusion
Thank you!