Transitions in everyday practice and Internet intensity

Lead Research Organisation: Lancaster University

Abstract

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People

ORCID iD

Studentship Projects

Project Reference Relationship Related To Start End Student Name
EP/N509504/1 30/09/2016 29/09/2021
1806135 Studentship EP/N509504/1 30/09/2016 30/03/2020
 
Description Through an analysis of 398 mobile devices, alongside an in-depth study involving month-long router logs for 9 households and semi-structured interviews with the participants (20 participants), I have provided a detailed overview of Internet demand in everyday life through time, by device, by service and by online activities. From this, I have provided the top areas of Internet use that the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) community needs to target to reduce Internet demand growth: watching, updates and installs, gaming, social networking and communication. Given video streaming was the top Internet demand category in my studies and larger-scale studies, I have uncovered the new ways of watching in the home and provided opportunities to target this practice through HCI design and policy for Internet demand reductions. From conducting a design workshop with 13 participants, I also explored and offered HCI design opportunities for reducing Internet demand in ways which people might want to improve their wellbeing, relationships with others, online privacy and work productivity. Furthermore, I highlighted the challenges of working in this domain and opportunities forward for the HCI community.
Exploitation Route The majority of the findings of the work are aimed at Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) researchers and practitioners; they can utilise the understanding of Internet demand in everyday life that I provide, as well as test and evaluate the HCI designs to reduce Internet demand in everyday life whilst also trying to improve users' wellbeing, relationships with others, online privacy and work productivity. The work also highlighted that HCI researchers and practitioners should collaborate with network engineers to understand the impact of new designs on the Internet and peak demand. Policy makers that are looking at Internet growth and sustainability can also utilise this work: more sustainable video streaming (and other more data-intensive Internet traffic) might need to cost more to reflect its environmental cost which contravenes net-neutrality laws, so research would be required on how to introduce fair and sustainable Internet policies; and policies may be required to get businesses on board to reduce Internet demand in their online services.
Sectors Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Energy,Government, Democracy and Justice
 
Description The findings of the research have been disseminated via the press articles (e.g. the Sunday Times) and interviews (on the radio, e.g. BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Nottingham) which have helped raise the general public's awareness of the environmental impacts of Internet use - particularly video streaming.
 
Description EPSRC Doctoral Prize
Amount £32,331 (GBP)
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 01/2020 
End 01/2021
 
Description Interview for Gizmodo press release 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Interview for press release by Maddie Stone for Gizmodo: 'The Planet Needs a New Internet' (as an outcome from my publication 'Streaming, Multi-Screens and YouTube: The New (Un)sustainable Ways of Watching in the Home').
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://earther.gizmodo.com/the-planet-needs-a-new-internet-1837101745#replies
 
Description Interview for The Naked Scientists press release 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Interview by Ben McAllister at the Naked Scientists (for press release/podcast) to highlight the energy consumption from streaming video (as an outcome from my publication 'Streaming, Multi-Screens and YouTube: The New (Un)sustainable Ways of Watching in the Home').
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/interviews/video-streaming-electricity-demand-grows
 
Description Live press interview on local news (BBC Radio Nottingham) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Live press interview from BBC Radio Nottingham on their morning show (~10am) to highlight the energy consumption from streaming video (as an outcome from my publication 'Streaming, Multi-Screens and YouTube: The New (Un)sustainable Ways of Watching in the Home').
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description Live press interview on national news (BBC Radio 5 Live) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Live press interview from BBC Radio 5 Live at drive time (~5pm) to highlight the energy consumption from streaming video (as an outcome from my publication 'Streaming, Multi-Screens and YouTube: The New (Un)sustainable Ways of Watching in the Home'), given the rise of video streaming during the pandemic.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Live press interview on national news (BBC Radio Scotland) 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Live press interview from BBC Radio Scotland on the morning show (~6am) to highlight the energy consumption from streaming video (as an outcome from my publication 'Streaming, Multi-Screens and YouTube: The New (Un)sustainable Ways of Watching in the Home'), given the rise of video streaming during the pandemic.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2020
 
Description Press interview aired on BBC Radio 5 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact BBC Radio 5 played a recording of a press interview about the energy consumption associated with streaming (as an outcome of my published paper: 'Streaming, multi-screens and YouTube: The New (Un)sustainable Ways of Watching in the Home').
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
 
Description The Sunday Times article on CHI paper 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Exchanges with Jonathan Leake at the Sunday Times, leading to a press release on the energy consumption of streaming video (as an outcome from CHI publication 'Streaming, Multi-Screens and YouTube: The New (Un)sustainable Ways of Watching in the Home').
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2019
URL https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/energy-used-in-streaming-one-film-on-netflix-makes-60-cuppas-0hkp...