Streaming, Multi-Screens and YouTube

Abstract

Internet use and online services underpin everyday life, and the resultant energy demand is almost entirely hidden, yet significant and growing: it is anticipated to reach 21% of global electricity demand by 2030 and to eclipse half the greenhouse gas emissions of transportation by 2040. Driving this growth, real-time video streaming ('watching') is estimated at around 50% of all peak data traffic. Using a mixed-methods analysis of the use of 66 devices (e.g. smart TVs, tablets) across 20 participants in 9 households, we reveal the online activity of domestic watching and provide a detailed exploration of video-on-demand activities. We identify new ways in which watching is transitioning in more rather than less data demanding directions; and explore the role HCI may play in reducing this growing data demand. We further highlight implications for key HCI and societal stakeholders (policy makers, service providers, network engineers) to tackle this important issue.

Emerging Adults and the Use of Textual Digital Communication: A Reflection on Self-Esteem, Loneliness, Anxiety, and Wellbeing

“…Earlier findings on the topic are summarized by Verbeek (2005), stating that since technology infuses every area of our everyday lives, having technology that is helpful, inclusive, and secure is crucial. Digital wellbeing refers to a feeling of pleasantness when using technology and with a sense of balance between the online and offline activities (Widdicks et al, 2017) While some researchers reinforce the favorable aspects of digital communication, other studies support the idea that digital natives generally report a lower level of wellbeing, as well as less happiness, stress, lower life satisfaction, and depressive symptoms (Rosen et al, 2014). Moreover, adolescents who spend five hours or more a day on any electronic device are more likely to commit suicide.…”

Edge of Tomorrow: Designing Sustainable Edge Computing

“…In a similar fashion, alongside major, established online platforms like Netflix, Disney+ and Google Stadia, we have also included more frivolous streaming services, for example, the fictional QVC-365 and CandyCrush 7.0. Like physical devices, connected services which stream content have also been shown to be the source of large amounts of datafication, and are thus incredibly energy inefficient, resource intensive and heavily carbonised (Widdicks et al, 2019). Figure 9 begins to visualise how users have the opportunity to interact with more detailed 'D-CARB' feedback based upon 'grouping' metrics rather than solely data spawned by individual devices, namely by Consumption (of more or less data), Distance (from the source(s) of data), Nodes (the number of devices used to gather data) and Value (the perceived value of collected data to external third parties).…”

Designing for Digital Wellbeing: From Theory to Practice a Scoping Review

“…The research in [28] was an effort to bridge the differences between health and inclusion frameworks where risk protection measures and ethical and critical online participation knowledge are combined. In HCI, the representation of well-being came in two main forms, the technology designed to enhance wellbeing, or the design considerations to minimize harmful impact on users [29]. The latter has been labelled by some scholars as positive computing [30].…”