CISCO collaborates with OECD, launches Digital Well-being Hub

Worldwide technology leader Cisco recently partnered with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to launch the Digital Well-being Hub, the world's first cross-cutting study into the complex relationship between digital technologies and individual well-being

Several issues such as a lack of digital skills, or uncertainty about application of technology may limit job prospects or deter responsible social media use, participating in online education, healthcare or civic engagement. The Hub aims to dig deeper into the interplay between these issues by taking a holistic view of digital well-being that makes connections between the use of digital technologies and factors such as life satisfaction, mental health, digital skills, cyber safety, civic engagement, climate consciousness and social connections. 

It is grounded in the OECD Well-being Framework and captures real-time evidence of people's well-being, digital behaviours, and inequalities in technology use. Visitors to the Hub can also explore and interact with the OECD's existing findings on technology's impacts and compare country-level data.

"Up to 14% of people in OECD countries feel lonely, which could be potentially exacerbated by the use of digital tools,” said Romina Boarini, director of OECD Centre for Well-being, Inclusion, Sustainability and Equal Opportunity (WISE). “Through our collaboration with Cisco, we are exploring the unintended consequences of excessive or problematic use of digital tools to understand how people live in the digital world. Our findings will help to shape policies and foster a more equitable and inclusive digital future."