Addicted to the Game
How serious a global health problem is internet and gaming addiction?
Gaming is big business. More that 2 billion gamers around the world generated more than 100 billion dollars in game revenues last year. But for some people all the fun is coming at a cost. The World Health Organization wants to classify gaming addiction as a mental health condition for the first time. The addiction is described as a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour that takes 'precedence over other life interests'. So how concerned should we be? What's the evidence that people can become addicted? And how severe can the addiction become? Do the types of games that are played - role playing vs. shoot'em up - and the environments they're played in make a difference? And how will improvements to augmented and virtual reality technology change the picture? This week on Newshour Extra Jonny Dymond and a panel of experts look at gaming addiction: serious problem or moral panic?
(Photo of addicted gamer by Getty Images)
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Contributors:
Dr Daria Kuss - psychologist at the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University
Steve Pope - psychotherapist treating gaming addiction
Dr Andrew Przybylski - psychologist based at the Oxford Internet Institute, at Oxford University
Also featuring:
Jack Perry - says he was addicted to gaming
Dr Jo Twist - CEO of UK Interactive Entertainment,聽the trade body for the UK's games and interactive entertainment industry
Broadcasts
- Fri 12 Jan 2018 00:06GMT91热爆 World Service Online, Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
- Fri 12 Jan 2018 09:06GMT91热爆 World Service except News Internet
- Fri 12 Jan 2018 18:06GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia
- Fri 12 Jan 2018 23:06GMT91热爆 World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only
- Sat 13 Jan 2018 04:06GMT91热爆 World Service except Australasia & News Internet
- Sat 13 Jan 2018 12:06GMT91热爆 World Service except Americas and the Caribbean, East and Southern Africa, News Internet & West and Central Africa
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The Real Story
Global experts and decision makers discuss, debate and analyse a key news story.