‘Consuming too much data, information causes digital obesity’

ANKARA

Consuming too much data, information, and media may lead to digital obesity, which could bring about negative effects on people’s lives, according to an expert.

“Digital obesity is basically about overconsuming (of information), not giving enough rest. It is basically the same as constantly eating, never doing anything else,” said futurist Gerd Leonhard at a forum organized by the Turkish Education Association.

The Zurich-based futurist said people are becoming “congested, fat, and dying from overconsuming of information.”

Noting that people consume information via social media all the time, he said they do not realize how this leads to danger to their life in general.

On the effects of metaverse on the people, he said most of this is not a reality today, so people do not have virtuality.

“So, the metaverse is an attempt of technology and social media companies to save themselves,” he said, adding that the metaverse could be potentially much more damaging as people have bad habits in metaverse like social media.

The metaverse is referred to addiction to the internet, social media, and video games facilitated by the use of virtual reality, which distracts people from social connections.

About the increasing technology addiction, he said a certain amount of addiction is acceptable. He said a measure of normality and social contract is required to set up clear rules.

“I think we should have a rule in restaurants that says no devices. It would be great. Some restaurants are offering a 10% discount if you put your mobile phone away,” he said.

Regarding the right to get employed in the new world order, he said it should be against the law to require people to do certain technical things such as using augmented reality glasses or working in the metaverse.

“To live in virtual reality and to be super-fast and superhuman and to perform, it becomes eventually a dehumanizing effort,” he said.