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Some apps and websites backed by the alcohol industry to help people manage their health contain “obvious misinformation” and could lead people to drink more, researchers say. It is said that there is a sex.
The academics found evidence of “health misinformation and user experience features” in industry-funded tools that “favor commercial interests and have the potential to negatively impact the accuracy and perception of health risk information.” It is claimed that there was.
The study also identified “dark patterns” in design – features intended to manipulate and influence consumers for their own benefit.
Academics suggest these can prevent users from accurately understanding their health status and encourage people to continue drinking.
The study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) analyzed the accuracy of information available in 15 digital tools and apps created by industry advocacy groups in the UK, Ireland, US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Ta.
These include the online unit calculator and MyDrinkaware app created by Drinkaware, which is funded by donations from the UK’s leading alcohol producers, pub operators, restaurants and major supermarkets, as well as the MyDrinkaware app, created by global alcohol producer Diageo. DrinkiQ was included.
Information on the tool was compared to information from 10 services that do not receive funding from the alcohol industry, including NHS Drink Free Days and Alcohol Change UK’s Try Dry.
Dr. Elliot Roy-Highley, who worked on the study as a master’s student in public health, said: Obvious misinformation.
“The public needs to know the risks associated with using apps funded by the alcohol industry, and the platforms hosting these tools need to work to remove apps found to contain false information. There is.”
The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread over three or more days.
The researchers tested the platform with inputs based on a typical man and a typical woman with seven different alcohol consumption patterns.
This ranged from low to high intakes and included binge drinking within the weekly limit (14 units or less in the UK) and binge drinking above the weekly limit.
The study found that six industry-supported tools identified contradictory messages that could increase alcohol consumption, while seven industry tools and one non-industry tool showed that alcohol is normal and social. It was positioned as.
The study, published in Health Promotion International, found that all but one industry-backed platform omitted some information about the risks of alcohol consumption.
Also, only 20% of tools funded by the alcohol industry provide information on increased risk of cardiovascular disease, compared to 70% of tools not funded by the alcohol industry. It turned out that there was something.
They were also less likely to include information about other hazards.
The industry-backed platform included information on things like mental health problems caused by alcohol and social consequences such as absenteeism.
This report takes individual findings and generalizes them to the entire industry, which is unhelpful and completely inaccurate when it comes to DrinkiQ.
diageo
However, tools that were not supported by the industry contained these harms and more, including the risk of physical or psychological harm such as brain injury and addiction.
Industry-funded services were also more likely to frame messages encouraging some drinking.
Some other tools, such as the Drinkaware unit calculator, also misled users by suggesting that only drinking above a “binge level” was harmful, the researchers said.
“Misleading users about harmful amounts is consistent with the industry’s focus on ‘excessive’ and ‘binge’ drinking, and only very high levels of drinking are of concern. ” they added.
Co-author Professor Mark Petticrew, based at LSHTM, said: “Our research helps shed light on the use of ‘dark apps’ by the alcohol industry and our framework will help screen future tools. I hope that it will be able to be used in the future.” Published for public use. ”
A Diageo spokesperson said: “This report generalizes individual findings to the industry as a whole and is unhelpful and completely inaccurate with respect to DrinkiQ.”
“The information cited on DrinkiQ is based on publicly available data and scientific evidence, and data sources are clearly referenced. We remain committed to tackling harmful drinking and that’s why we We continue to support DrinkiQ as a powerful and useful tool.
A Drinkaware spokesperson said: “Drinkaware uses the World Health Organization’s internationally recognized Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test in our digital tools and services.
“Our advice is based on the Chief Medical Officer’s Low Risk Drinking Guidelines, the latest research and approved by an independent panel of medical experts.”
Reacting to the study, Matt Lambert, chief executive of the Portman Group, which receives funding from the drinks industry and has companies sign up to its code of conduct, said: “This attempts to discredit goodwill. “This is a deliberate and counterproductive attempt.” Industry-funded resources and tools to prevent harmful drinking.
“Without the active cooperation of a responsible alcohol industry, it would be much more difficult to tackle harmful consumption, and industry-funded efforts have proven that over the past decade, there have been a number of issues such as underage drinking, binge drinking, drunk driving, etc. We must not forget that we are contributing to a significant reduction in the harm caused by ”
