WHO Opens Global Dialogue on Video Games, Social Health, and Digital Well-being

In a groundbreaking move, the World Health Organization (WHO) is launching a crucial global conversation about our digital lives. The virtual webinar, “Social Health and Digital Play: A Conversation, Not a Conclusion,” aims to explore the complex relationship between video games, social connection, and public health. Recognizing video games as major cultural and social spaces, the WHO seeks to better understand their impact to help shape healthier digital environments for everyone.

Objectives: Exploring Benefits, Risks, and Future Paths

Scheduled for January 14, 2026, this open dialogue has clear goals. It will share insights from the WHO’s work on combating loneliness and social isolation. The conversation will contextualize social health alongside physical and mental well-being when examining digital play. A key focus will be reflecting on the broader public health implications of video games, from promoting physical activity to addressing gaming disorders and commercial industry practices. Ultimately, the event aims to identify critical gaps and ideas to guide future research and health policy in this rapidly evolving space.

The Critical Need for Evidence-Based Understanding

This initiative is timely and necessary. In June 2025, the WHO Commission on Social Connection highlighted loneliness as a serious global health threat, noting that evidence on digital technology’s impact remains “limited and mixed.” With video games representing one of the world’s largest digital communities and industries, high-quality scientific research is urgently needed. New technologies like AI and virtual reality add further layers of complexity, creating both new opportunities and potential risks for health and social connection that must be carefully examined.
The webinar is not designed to deliver final answers but to foster collaborative thinking. By bringing together diverse global perspectives, the WHO hopes to lay the groundwork for a more nuanced, evidence-based approach to digital well-being. This conversation marks a vital step in understanding how to enhance the benefits of digital play while mitigating its risks for populations worldwide.