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Use of the Internet, computers, smartphones and other electronic devices has dramatically increased over recent decades, and this increase is associated not only with clear and tremendous benefits to the users and societies, but also with documented cases of excessive use which often has negative health consequences. WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse has started activities on public health implications of excessive use of the Internet, computers, smartphones and similar electronic devices in 2014 in response to the concerns expressed by professional groups, WHO collaborating centers, academics and clinicians about public health relevance of health conditions associated with excessive use of the Internet and other communication and gaming platforms.
At the first WHO meeting addressing these issues – organized in collaboration with Kurihama Medical and Addiction Centre (Japan), – a group of experts from different parts of the world discussed the available evidence on the epidemiology, nature, phenomenology, outcomes and public health implications of health conditions associated with excessive use of the Internet, smartphones and similar electronic devices.
This report provides a summary of the three-day meeting held in Tokyo, Japan, on 27-29 August 2014.
