Digital Wellbeing Program 'Sync'

The Digital Wellbeing Program 'Sync' is a Saudi awareness program aimed at promoting healthy digital practices to mitigate the impact of excessive technology use on individuals and society and protect them from its harms. It is based on specialized research and studies conducted in collaboration with universities and research centers. The program was launched by the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture 'Ithra' in Dhahran City, Eastern Province, on September 7, 2021.

The Digital Wellbeing Program 'Sync' conducted several research studies, revealing that excessive technology contributes to sleep disorders. Half of the global population sacrifices their weekly sleep hours due to excessive technology use. A global survey also indicated that 50 percent of Generation Z suffers from fatigue, lack of sleep, and headaches due to technology use. Additionally, 71 percent of the population in the Kingdom are video game users, making this rate 22 percent higher than the global average.

Research studies conducted by the program confirmed that 41 percent of participants face difficulties in performing their daily tasks due to decreased concentration caused by digital distractions. Additionally, social media applications aim to capture users' time and attention by delaying the appearance of like notifications.

Research studies from the Digital Wellbeing Program 'Sync' revealed that technology has reduced the time 42 percent of participants spend with those around them. Additionally, 53 percent of individuals admitted they prefer having mobile phones over a close friend. Another study indicated that 33 percent of parents keep their children occupied daily through the use of technology.

On March 26, 2022, the International Digital Wellbeing Program 'Sync' Summit was launched. It was attended by local and global institutions, along with technology experts, and featured sixty speakers from around the world over two days. The summit was held at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture "Ithra" Theater, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and with an academic partnership from the University of Milano-Bicocca.

On its first day, the Digital Wellbeing Program 'Sync' Summit featured several panel discussions, including a session titled "In Pursuit of the Digital Truth," which covered topics such as the impact of technology use on human behavior. The session was hosted by the Head of the Behavioral Insights Unit at the Ministry of Health and Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics. The summit also released the latest research on digital wellbeing and included discussions on digital illiteracy, technology addiction, achieving digital balance in the professional world, relationships in the digital age, and ethics and rights in the tech world.

On the second day, the Digital Wellbeing Program 'Sync' Summit hosted a panel discussion titled "Enhancing Quality of Life," which addressed the latest developments in technology, methods for creating a safe digital world for children and adolescents, cyberbullying, digital identity, and online gaming. The Minister of Communications and Information Technology spoke about the platforms and applications the Kingdom provided for remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that while the Kingdom made significant strides, nearly half a billion people worldwide missed out on educational opportunities due to a lack of internet access.