Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
By Margarita Panayiotou Filed Under: Digital Futures, Health and Care Posted:
The COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent lockdown initiated in much of the world, has highlighted the crucial role of social media in social connectivity and news dissemination. In this blog, from our publication On Digital Trust, Dr Margarita Panayiotou explores whether social media is as bad for our mental health as we are led to […]
By Mark Elliot Filed Under: All posts, Digital Futures Posted:
With increasing details of our lives being stored in digital space, how do we safeguard our data-selves? In this blog, republished from our On Digital Trust publication, Professor Mark Elliot outlines the dilemma between the value of data and the need to protect users’ privacy, and offers a solution to policymakers. Data is no longer […]
By Gerard Hodgkinson Filed Under: Digital Futures Posted:
As the digital and real worlds become ever-more entwined, do we really understand how people and technology interact? In this blog, republished from our On Digital Trust publication, Prof Gerard Hodgkinson explains why both person and machine should be considered when introducing and safeguarding digital infrastructure. Historically, new technologies fail to meet expectations because human […]
By Michael Prentice Filed Under: Cities and Environment, Digital Futures, Health and Care, Health and Social Care Posted:
As the UK embarks on rolling out new digital and mobile capacities in the fight against COVID-19, other countries may serve as bellwethers for potential issues. In this blog, Dr Michael Prentice, Research Fellow in Digital Trust and Security, discusses privacy issues that arose in South Korea’s technology-driven response to the COVID-19 outbreak and how […]
By Terry Hanley Filed Under: Education, Health and Social Care Posted:
Following some of the latest Government announcements relating to COVID-19, the majority of children and young people will this week be getting used to not going to school. In this blog, Dr Terry Hanley discusses what this could mean for young people’s mental health and wellbeing. For years, face-to-face support has been the primary […]
By David Buil-Gil, Nicholas Lord, Emma Barrett, Daniel Dresner and Brian Higgins Filed Under: Digital Futures Posted:
The COVID-19 crisis is driving changes in the routines of institutions and individuals, as businesses, educational institutions and other organisations recommend or require employees to engage in social distancing in a collective attempt to minimise the spread of the virus. As well as having global socioeconomic effects, these changes in routine create opportunities for crimes. […]
By Stephen Hutchings, Vera Tolz and Vitaly Kazakov Filed Under: British Politics, News Posted:
By providing the first in-depth study of Russian state broadcaster, RT, the Reframing Russia research project aspires to improve our understanding of the intensifying ‘information war’ between Russia and much of the Western world. In this context, in November 2019, the project team organised an experimental dialogue ‘across battle lines.’ Stephen Hutchings, Vera Tolz and […]
By Debra Howcroft Filed Under: All posts Posted:
Early computing was dominated by women, most often working as machine operators. Since the 1970s, however, they have been side-lined by the tech industry, replaced by higher paid men. Professor Debra Howcroft critically examines the increasingly gendered environment within the IT sector, and offers solutions to encourage women to return to the industry they played […]
By Neil Humphrey and Margarita Panayiotou Filed Under: Digital Futures, Health and Social Care Posted:
In our final blog for Children’s Mental Health Week, Professor Neil Humphrey and Dr Margarita Panayiotou discuss mental health and social media. A causal link between young people’s use of digital technologies and their subsequent experience of mental health difficulties has not been proven. Social media can have both positive and negative effects on mental […]
By Terry Hanley and Pamela Qualter Filed Under: All posts, Digital Futures, Health and Care Posted:
For over 15 years, staff based in the Manchester Institute of Education have been engaged in research exploring the development of online counselling services for young people. Here, Dr Terry Hanley and Professor Pamela Qualter discuss their research findings and make recommendations for the UK Government’s strategy for tackling loneliness. Our research findings act as […]