Prerequisites for stakeholder framework: Consumer advocacy and health protection in the digital industry. •

Abstract

AbstractThe World Health Organization (WHO) included gaming disorders in International Classification of Disease-11th (ICD-11) on May 25, 2019. Since then, some academics and the gaming industry have continued to argue over the health system's response to online addictive behaviors. Under these circumstances, a framework involving groups representing various interests is needed to derive a reasonable solution to the dispute over the inclusion of gaming disorders in ICD-11. For this framework to work effectively, it is necessary to agree on consistent and advanced research findings that harms related to the excessive use of digital devices or content continue to occur empirically all over the world and that addictive use constitutes a primary addictive disorder. The problematic risk taking involving emerging technologies may include not only health risks from addictive use, but also more general harms associated with digital ethics and norms such as privacy and transparent money transactions. An understanding of a public health model of addiction is required to reduce harms associated with online addictive behavior that exist behind risk taking. Such harms are also mediated by excessive use, excessive money spending, and exposure to addictive content such as violence and pornography. Major stakeholders and their roles can be derived more effectively based on these conceptual models and parameters of harms. In conclusion, the context of the proposed stakeholder framework should be further optimized on the basis of two principles: (1) advocating consumer rights as a general and standard approach to digital products; and (2) protecting consumers' health from harms related to addictive behaviors.