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A NEW REPORT INTO online behaviour shows that 15 million people in the UK have undertaken a “digital detox” to curb their online activity.
The findings are in the latest Ofcom Communications Market Report 2016, which said that one in three adult internet users has sought time offline, with one in 10 doing it in the last week alone.
It said that of these people:
As a result, a third of people said they felt more productive, 27% found it liberating, and a quarter enjoyed life more.
However, 16% experienced the dreaded FOMO (fear of missing out), while 15% felt lost and 14% felt cut-off.
The reasons behind the digital detoxes were numerous:
With nine in 10 adults reporting going online every day, being ‘connected’ is seen as a core part of many people’s daily lives, with many respondents claiming to feel lost without it and admitting to being ‘hooked’ on their smartphones, tablets or other connected devices. The internet is highly valued for facilitating communications and preventing boredom, but time spent online does have its drawbacks. Four in 10 internet users say they spend too much time online, and report negative effects on their work or personal lives, such as being late for work or missing out on sleep.
Here in Ireland, a Digital Detox weekend has even been set up to help people end their attachment to their devices.
Keith Corcoran, a meditation instructor from the course, told us in January:
Our minds are going always from morning until night, thinking about the past and the present and the future. I’ve noticed myself over the years that your mind is not really switching off.
So we want to know – what about you: Have you ever done a digital detox?
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If you want an objective case for why animal testing is bad science, then I suggest you check out the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine in America. You can’t use different species, with differences in DNA and physiology to adequately trial human medicine. Computer based simulation is superior and more ethical. One of the main reasons for animal testing is securing and retaining research funds. http://www.pcrm.org.
Didn’t think this kind of thing still went on. It would be really interesting to see listed what organisations are doing this and why. Particularly when you see dogs listed…..
@Peter B: I agree, but why just when you see dogs mentioned? I have pet rats and rats are so soulful, sensitive, emotional, loving family orientated and super intelligent! I don’t understand why animal testing still needs to be done, other than testing medications meant for that particular species where you need placebo versus real med comparison, plus how well it helps the animal it’s aimed at, the toxicity, therapeutic dosage etc.
In essence, only do trials on species something is meant for. So if it’s for humans, get human volunteers. There is always plenty of volunteers willing to take part in trials.
Get my drift.
So yes, there is a small need for animal testing, but only to help improve or come up with new and better meds for animals of their own species.
@Lilly Passet-De Nais: yes totally agree…
Maybe we could do the testing on the “ activists “ – I’m sure they would be queuing up to volunteer .
In other news, testing on humans has gone up to 90% of the adult population
@David O’Rourke: Oh I see what you did there
Before medicines can proceed to clinical trials in humans the vast majority of them first have to be tested in animals (pre-clinical studies). So for anyone on their high horse (pun intended) saying no animal testing should be conducted, they should think twice the next time they take an over-the-counter medicine or fill a prescription.
Does anyone have recommendations for male and female products not tested on animals on the shelves in Ireland?
@Niall Mullane: Simple skincare don’t test, that’s just off the top of my head – but any products that don’t test will have a vegan/animal cruelty label. Think it’s a bunny
@Sam Kendlin Hobbs: thank you
Animal testing is not only incredibly cruel, it’s also an unreliable and outdated research method. Over 90% of drugs that are effective in animal testing fail in human clinical trials.
‘Severe’ experiments on live animals increased in Ireland have actually increased year on year since 2017, has also been stated in the journal before to the best of my knowledge.
It’s really about time the Irish government ended its utterly unacceptable severe animal cruelty and devised a strategy to honour its legal and moral duties to reduce animal suffering in Irish laboratories, as the Irish Anti-Vivisection Society (IAVS) has states before. Thus Ireland should aim to phase-out animal testing all together as soon as possible. The Irish Govt should be transparent and provide a clear timeline for this.
Recently the European Parliament just voted in favor of developing an action plan to end experiments on animals. Members of the European Parliament (MEP) supported a motion for a resolution to accelerate the transition to scientific innovation without the use of animals in research, regulatory testing, and education.
Hoping the the Irish govt follow suits of this, and hope it doesn’t wait until this action plan comes into force?
Kind paw regards, Gerben Uunk, co-founder Party for Animal Welfare (PAW). A registered political party in Ireland since February 2020. Several of our sister animal advocacy party’s across the world have MP’s.
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