‘iDependence’: Crowdfunding to
Create a Film About Internet Addiction
A
GROUP OF YOUNG artists and
scientists joined forces to tackle
the escalating problem of Internet
addiction by creating a powerful new
film.
Lethally Harmless Productions (LHP), a
non-profit collective of artists and scientists,
launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund
the completion of ‘iDependence’ – the first
documentary film of its kind about Internet
Addiction Disorder.
Operating out of QMU’s Business Innovation
Zone, Lethally Harmless Productions created
a dramatic trailer which highlights the serious
issue of Internet addiction. The film content
draws on extensive research which the project
team conducted throughout Europe over a
two year period. The collective, founded by
university graduates from Poland, Portugal
and Greece, visited schools and cutting-
edge research institutions to gain a thorough
understanding of the effects of Internet
addiction on children, adolescents and adults
around the world.
The documentary aims to raise awareness of
the personal and social implications of Internet
addiction, which has shared similarities with
alcoholism, drug and sex addiction. Michal
Korzonek, who is a QMU film and media
graduate, is Co-founder of Lethally Harmless
Productions and Director of ‘iDependence’.
He stated: “‘iDependence’ includes interviews
with renowned academics, teachers and
professionals from research institutions and
schools from all around Europe. It exposes
Internet addiction in detail and gives practical
advice on how to diagnose and treat the
disorder. Importantly, the film provides
parents, teachers and anyone interested in
internet use with the tools to help them use
new technologies in a healthy and beneficial
way.”
According to the latest research, 13%
of young Europeans are at risk of Internet
addictive behaviours. In the USA, it’s 10%
of the population and in China and South
Korea it is thought to be between 18 – 30%.
Sílvia Bastos from Lethally Harmless
Productions, explained: “How many times do
you check your social media account during
the day, just because your mobile phone is
close by? How often do you get distracted by
a bleep alert and lose focus on a face-to-face
conversation with a friend or work colleague?
This type of obsessive behaviour affects and
impacts on our ability to live in the moment
and concentrate on nurturing our relationships
with people.”
“Internet addiction stands out due to the
negative impact it may inflict on millions in
the future”, warned Dr Fotios Spyropoulos
from the Hellenic Association for the Study of
the Internet Addiction Disorder (HASIAD). Dr
Konstantinos Siomos, President of HASIAD
pointed out: “As the amount of time people
spend online increases, other activities such
as interaction with friends are abandoned.
Sleeping decreases dramatically, there is
school failure and bad communication in
the family.”
However, ‘iDependence’ does not merely
focus on reporting the misuse of the internet
- it focuses on ways to reach its optimal use.
Internet addiction is a complex issue that
affects society on a global scale, so there is
no quick fix. By carrying out this extensive
research, the project team hopes the film
can help society adopt ways of ‘using’ the
Internet, but not being ‘used’ by it.
“Technology is a very big part of the everyday
lives of children and adolescents”, said Dr
Artemis Tsitsika, Head of the Adolescent
Health Unit, University of Athens. “If you use
it for educational reasons or within schools it
might be a protective factor against high risk
behaviour on the Internet.”
Lethally Harmless Productions aims to raise
£10,101 during its crowdfunding campaign
to cover the costs required to complete
the film. Everything above the target sum
will be used to distribute the documentary,
which will be supported by training sessions
and presentations to schools, institutions,
workplaces, film festivals and conferences
worldwide. It is hoped that this will help
stimulate global debate on the healthy use
of the Internet.
Professor Alan Gilloran, Deputy Principal
of Queen Margaret University, said: “From
our inception, QMU has responded to some
of the most pressing issues that affect our
society. I am proud that ‘Lethally Harmless
Productions’ is ambitious in its determination
to deal with a serious issue, such as Internet
addiction, which affects societies on a global
scale.”
Dr Vasileios Vlaseros from Lethally Harmless
Productions, is also Director of the Athens
Behavioural and Experimental Economics and
Social Sciences Laboratory of the University of
Athens. He concluded: “Internet Addiction has
not received the attention it demands mainly
due to the unincentivised reluctance of mass
media and social networking platforms to help
raise such an issue. Breaking this vicious
circle and contributing to the campaign in
any way possible will help us help others with
iDependence.” ❒
QMYOU / Creativity & Culture
11