The Digital, Lifestyle, Media and Sport Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Section for Digital, Tradition, Mass media and Sport and its associated public bodies.

In this record the Committee creates on the newly established principle of ‘online harms’ by considering potential psychosocial and economic harms associated with the use of immersive technologies. Following a World Wellness Organisation’s formal designation of ‘video gaming about Immersive and Addictive Technologies: A WRITTEN REPORT of the home of Commons Digital, Lifestyle, Press and Sport Committee disorder’, the Committee noticed calls from gamers, academics, and clinicians for immediate action to better understand and address the condition. While video gaming disorder is a comparatively new part of understanding, immersive technology providers also have obvious responsibilities to safeguard users from well-established on-line harms including bullying and harmful articles. The Committee also regarded as the consequences of disordered spending within games, and consider the links between video game design mechanics such as for example loot boxes and gambling. The harms outlined with this report can be viewed as the direct consequence of the way in which the ‘attention economy’ is powered by the aim of maximising consumer engagement. This survey explores how data-rich immersive technologies are powered by business versions that combine people’s data with style practices to possess powerful psychological results.

Cover Image by Marcin Nowak