Parliament to investigate if game and phone ‘addiction’ are harming Brits as Government rejects call to BAN Fortnite
'Immersive and addictive technologies inquiry' calls for evidence before it gets to work on January 14
A wide-ranging inquiry into how badly Brits are addicted to their phones, games consoles and other devices is being launched by the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee.
The new will look at how "the addictive nature of some technologies" affects Brits -- but will also look at "opportunities" for the UK's gambling industry in relation to gaming and esports.
The inquiry will specifically look at "the development of immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality", both in terms of the risks these new technologies can pose but also how the UK can remain a "key player" in developing these technologies.
It comes as the government officially rejected that claimed the game is making children aggressive, and damaging their performance in school.
Launching the inquiry, Damian Collins, chair of the committee in question, explained what they would be looking for.
“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," he said.
As well as online games and social media, Collins also raised the risks posed by "deep fake" videos where AI technology is used to effectively create and animate models of real people that are almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
Other areas of concern being looked at include "links between gaming and gambling", with the inquiry set to investigate if in-game spending needs more regulation, especially in games like Fortnite that target children.
The inquiry will also examine if games and social media services which are designed to be engaging need to be regulated in order "to protect children from these forms of addiction."
MOST READ IN GAMING
He also sees an opportunity for growth in the area thanks to esports and gaming, saying "we’re seeing industries emerge that offer enormous potential for growth such as eSports and gaming where the UK is rightly regarded as a world leader in production. We’ll be looking at what action is needed to ensure we remain a key player. "
The report will also look at what opportunities video games in general and esports in particular provide the UK's gambling industry, and how they might be managed.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.